Authors: Peter Anderson, Antoni Gual and Joan Colom (PHEPA)

The aim of these guidelines is to summarize the evidence of the harm done by alcohol and how to manage hazardous and harmful alcohol use in primary care. The guidelines also describe alcohol dependence and how it can be managed, so primary health care providers know what to expect when more difficult to manage patients are referred for specialist help.

Authors: Eileen Kaner, Martin Bland, Paul Cassidy, Simon Coulton, Veronica Dale, Paolo Deluca, Eilish Gilvarry, Christine Godfrey, Nick Heather, Judy Myles, Dorothy Newbury-Birch, Adenekan Oyefeso, Steve Parrott, Katherine Perryman, Tom Phillips, Jonathan Shepherd and Colin Drummond

International studies have shown that 20-30% of patients who routinely present in primary care are hazardous or harmful drinkers. Several meta-analyses have shown that screening using short questionnaires followed by brief intervention (comprising simple advice or psychological counselling) significantly reduces alcohol consumption in primary care populations.

This paper reports on the results of one of three trials in the UK's 'Screening and Intervention Programme for Sensible drinking' (SIPS) study. 

The objective of the trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of different brief intervention strategies at reducing hazardous or harmful drinking in primary care, with the hypothesis that more intensive intervention would result in a greater reduction in hazardous or harmful drinking.

The two other SIPS trials were based in emergency departments and probation offices.

Author: Jonathan Gornall (freelance journalist)

The British Medical Journal (BMJ) published an in-depth article on the GAPA-WHO Statement of Concern issued on February 2013. This BMJ piece received a very positive supporting statement in the form of a rapid response from WHO Director General Dr. Margaret Chan, which you can see in the following link:

http://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f1889?tab=responses

On October 8th 2012, thirteen of world’s largest alcohol producers issued a set of commitments to reduce the harmful use of alcohol worldwide, ostensibly in support of the World Health Organization’s 2010 Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol.

The Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA), as an independent coalition of public health professionals, health scientists and NGO representatives, submitted a public Statement of Concern to the WHO Secretariat in response to the activities of the global alcohol producers. Discussions on industry involvement at the AMPHORA project final conference have contributed to this document.

Author: Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland

‘Health in All Policies (HiAP): Seizing opportunities, implementing policies’, published by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health of Finland, identifies practical opportunities and challenges for raising health on political agendas. It stresses the importance of seizing opportunities for negotiating and implementing feasible policy solutions.

Authors: Kypri K, Langley JD, Saunders JB, Cashell-Smith ML, Herbison P.

There is compelling evidence supporting screening and brief intervention (SBI) for hazardous drinking, yet it remains underused in primary health care. Electronic (computer or Web-based) SBI (e-SBI) offers the prospects of ease and economy of access. We sought to determine whether e-SBI reduces hazardous drinking.