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Attitudes and managing alcohol problems in general practice: an interaction analysis based on findings from a WHO
Peter Anderson1, Eileen Kaner, Sonia Wutzke
1Centre for Quality of Care Research, University Medical Centre Nijmegen, 229 WOK, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB, The Netherlands. pdanderson@compuserve.com
Alcohol and Alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire)
|June 23, 2004
Summary
General practitioners' (GPs) training improved alcohol screening and brief intervention, but only for those with positive attitudes. Further support is needed to address negative attitudes and enhance GP involvement in managing alcohol problems.
Area of Science:
- General Practice
- Addiction Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Screening and brief intervention are crucial for managing alcohol problems in primary care.
- General practitioners (GPs) play a key role in identifying and addressing harmful alcohol use.
- Understanding factors that influence GP engagement in alcohol interventions is essential for improving patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether GPs' attitudes towards working with patients who drink alcohol moderate the effectiveness of training and support interventions.
- To assess the impact of training and support on GPs' screening and brief intervention activity.
- To examine how training and support influence GPs' attitudes towards patients with alcohol problems.
Main Methods:
- A World Health Organization randomized controlled trial involving 340 GPs from four countries.
- GPs received training and support aimed at increasing screening and brief alcohol intervention.
- Attitudes towards working with drinkers were measured using the Shortened Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perception Questionnaire.
Main Results:
- Training and support significantly increased GPs' screening and brief intervention rates.
- This increase was observed only among GPs who reported positive attitudes (secure and committed) towards working with drinkers.
- Training and support did not improve attitudes and, in some cases, worsened attitudes among insecure and uncommitted GPs.
Conclusions:
- Interventions to enhance GP involvement in managing alcohol problems must address both practical skills and practitioners' attitudes.
- Future support strategies should consider on-site support agents and facilitators to improve GP engagement.
- Addressing negative attitudes is critical for the successful implementation of alcohol intervention programs in routine practice.