Risky drinking behaviour: Alcohol brief interventions need shared vision to improve

A new briefing paper published today (16 November) by the Alcohol Academy, supported by Alcohol Research UK, warns that unless decisive and coordinated action is taken the effectiveness of the UK’s current approach to alcohol brief interventions will wane, hampering the programme’s ability to deliver important benefits to those at risk from harmful levels of drinking. Brief intervention – known as ‘Identification and Brief Advice’ (IBA) in England – has been a central component of national and local alcohol strategies across the UK. However, despite its growing profile, IBA has proved difficult to implement effectively. During its one-day conference held earlier this year, the Alcohol Academy explored the evidence and issues facing alcohol brief interventions. In its follow up report published today, the Alcohol Academy sets out a number of key points to capture and build on the lessons, views and ideas raised at the event. The report sets out the following key findings: Despite significant attention to the issue in recent years, the current national position of IBA delivery still requires significant investment to achieve success. Some basic level issues still remain, including an understanding of what brief intervention actually involves, and the role or not of specialist services. Issues still exist over Primary Care as the key setting, particularly in identifying both the quantity and quality of IBA reportedly taking place, and the impact ...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - Category: Addiction Authors: Tags: News Special Reports brief interventions iba Source Type: news