Methods of intervention to modify drinking patterns in heavy drinkers.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Internal Medicine
• Addiction Medicine

Background:

• Heavy alcohol consumption is a significant public health concern.
• Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is a biomarker associated with alcohol intake.
• Identifying and treating heavy drinkers can mitigate alcohol-related diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the utility of GGT screening for identifying heavy drinkers.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of counseling and GGT feedback in reducing adverse health outcomes.
• To assess the prevalence of serious alcohol problems in middle-aged men.

Main Methods:

• A continuous screening and intervention study involving over 30,000 individuals.
• Characterization and follow-up of subsamples with varying GGT levels.
• An intervention group received counseling and GGT result feedback; a control group did not.

Main Results:

• GGT proved to be a simple and effective tool for identifying and monitoring heavy drinkers.
• The intervention group showed significant reductions in sick absence, hospitalization, and mortality over 6-8 years.
• Approximately 15% of middle-aged men in the general population had serious alcohol problems.

Conclusions:

• GGT screening is a valuable tool for identifying heavy alcohol consumption.
• Intervention including counseling and GGT feedback is effective in improving health outcomes for heavy drinkers.
• Integrating heavy drinker assessment and treatment into general medicine can significantly impact alcohol-related disease burden.