Brief and early intervention: experience from studies of harmful drinking

Brief and early interventions represent an innovative strategy for the prevention of harm from alcohol and other drugs. The pioneering study of early intervention, undertaken by Kristenson et al. (1983) as part of a preventive medicine programme, demonstrated the efficacy of this approach for problem drinking. Subsequent studies have confirmed these findings. Brief and early interventions have been shown to be effective in a wide range of health care settings, including hospital wards and outpatient clinics, general practice, private health screening facilities and community-based health screening programmes. What is required now is the ascertainment of the most effective settings for brief and early interventions and the incentives needed for incorporation into routine practice.