Evidence into action: implementing alcohol screening and brief interventions in the UK Armed Forces

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Military Health
• Addiction Medicine

Background:

• Alcohol-related harm is a significant public health issue.
• UK Armed Forces personnel exhibit higher rates of alcohol misuse compared to the general population.
• There is a need for effective interventions to address at-risk drinking in Service Members.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a population-level primary care intervention for identifying and supporting Service Personnel with at-risk alcohol consumption.
• To leverage existing evidence-based tools for early detection and intervention.
• To reduce alcohol-related harm within the UK Armed Forces.

Main Methods:

• The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) screening tool was integrated into routine dental inspections.
• Defence Primary Healthcare (DPHC) dentists administered the AUDIT-C.
• Alcohol brief interventions (ABI) and referrals were provided to identified at-risk individuals.

Main Results:

• Over 276,000 personnel were screened using AUDIT-C within 24 months.
• This represents the largest-scale implementation of AUDIT-C and ABI in a military population to date.
• The dental workforce demonstrated flexibility in delivering this public health initiative.

Conclusions:

• The implementation of AUDIT-C in dental settings successfully delivered a whole-population alcohol initiative.
• The initiative overcame implementation barriers, showcasing the adaptability of the dental workforce for public health interventions.
• This marks a significant step towards a standardized alcohol screening and treatment pathway within DPHC, contributing to the broader public health strategy against alcohol-related harm.