Randomized controlled trial of general practitioner intervention in women with excessive alcohol consumption

Seventy two women drinking 21 units (210g) or more of alcohol per week were recruited from an opportunistic screening programme in eight English general practices. The women were randomized into control and treatment groups. Women in the treatment group received ten minutes advice from their general practitioner to reduce alcohol consumption. At one year follow-up, when analyzed by intention to treat, women in the treatment group had reduced their alcohol consumption from an average of 35-24 units per week. Similar reductions were found in the control group (from 37-27 units per week). The lack of evidence for a treatment effect may be explained by contamination of the control group by informal interventions.