Ultra-brief intervention for problem drinkers: results from a randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Clinical Psychology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Most problem drinkers do not seek traditional in-person clinical interventions.
• Reaching non-treatment seeking populations requires innovative public health approaches.
• This study adapted a validated clinical intervention into an ultra-brief public health format.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate an ultra-brief, indicated public health intervention for problem drinkers.
• To assess the efficacy of a personalized feedback pamphlet compared to control conditions.

Main Methods:

• A randomized clinical trial involving 1767 problem drinkers.
• Participants were randomized to a personalized feedback pamphlet, control pamphlet, or no intervention.
• Outcomes were assessed via telephone survey at 3- and 6-month follow-ups.

Main Results:

• A small, statistically significant reduction in the AUDIT-C score (quantity and frequency of drinking) was observed for the personalized feedback group compared to the no intervention control (p=.04).
• No significant differences were found for the number of drinks consumed in the past seven days or the highest number of drinks on one occasion.
• Follow-up rates were 86% at 3 months and 76% at 6 months.

Conclusions:

• An ultra-brief, public health intervention format can have a meaningful impact on problem drinking.
• This intervention successfully reached a population of non-treatment seeking problem drinkers.
• Further research may explore optimizing this format for broader public health impact.