Impact of Staff Referral to Electronic Alcohol Screening in Primary Health Care
Author Information
Author(s): Preben Bendtsen, Diana Stark Ekman, Anne Lie Johansson, Siw Carlfjord, Agneta Andersson, Matti Leijon, Kjell Johansson, Per Nilsen
Primary Institution: Linköping University
Hypothesis
Does staff referral to an electronic screening and brief intervention for alcohol use lead to greater changes in alcohol consumption compared to self-referral?
Conclusion
Staff-referred patients showed a reduction in alcohol consumption, while self-referred patients reported an increase, but the overall effectiveness was similar for both groups.
Supporting Evidence
- Staff-referred responders reported an average decrease of 8.4 grams in weekly alcohol consumption.
- Self-referred responders reported an average increase of 2.4 grams in weekly alcohol consumption.
- Both groups showed significant reductions in the number of heavy episodic drinking occasions.
Takeaway
This study looked at whether asking patients to use a computer to check their drinking habits helps them drink less. It found that both groups, those asked by staff and those who chose to do it themselves, had similar results.
Methodology
Patients were recruited from primary health care settings and divided into staff-referred and self-referred groups to assess changes in alcohol consumption after using an electronic screening and brief intervention.
Potential Biases
Potential social desirability bias may have influenced participants' self-reported alcohol consumption.
Limitations
The study design was based on convenience sampling and lacked a control group, which limits the ability to draw definitive conclusions about the effectiveness of the intervention.
Participant Demographics
The study included a diverse population from Östergötland County, Sweden, with a mix of urban and rural residents.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.043 for staff-referred group change in consumption
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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