Brief interventions for risk consumption of alcohol at an emergency surgical ward

Patients admitted to an emergency surgical ward were screened for alcohol problems and randomized between an extensive alcohol counseling and a brief assessment followed by feedback of risky alcohol consumption. Some 165 patients were assessed for risk consumption and followed up 6 to 12 months, and it was found that patients in both interventions significantly reduced the amount they drank per occasion although they drank as often as before. The patients had also moved to a stage more ready to change. No differences in effect were found between the interventions. A brief assessment with feedback about risk consumption can be done on an emergency surgical ward by the surgical staff with a few hours of training and may reduce risky alcohol consumption significantly.