Authors: Field CA, Klimas J, Barry J, Bury G, Keenan E, Lyons S, Smyth BP, Cullen W.

Problem alcohol use is common among problem drug users (PDU) and associated with adverse health outcomes. Primary care has an important role in the overall stepped approach to alcohol treatment, especially screening and brief intervention (SBI). This study shows that although SBI improves health outcomes associated with problem alcohol use in the general population, further research is needed among high-risk patient groups, especially PDUs.

Authors: McQueen J, Howe TE, Allan L, Mains D, Hardy V.

The objective of this article is to determine whether brief interventions reduce alcohol consumption and improve outcomes for heavy alcohol users admitted to general hospital inpatient units. The main results of this review indicate that there are benefits to delivering brief interventions to heavy alcohol users admitted to general hospital wards in terms of reduction in alcohol consumption and death rates.

Authors: Williams EC, Achtmeyer CE, Kivlahan DR, Greenberg D, Merrill JO, Wickizer TM, Koepsell TD, Heagerty PJ, Bradley KA.

Full title: Evaluation of an electronic clinical reminder to facilitate brief alcohol-counseling interventions in primary care

Brief intervention for patients with unhealthy alcohol use is a prevention priority in the United States, but most eligible patients do not receive it. This study evaluated an electronic alcohol-counseling clinical reminder at a single Veterans Affairs general medicine clinic.

Authors: Dermen KH and Thomas SN

Full title: Randomized controlled trial of brief interventions to reduce college students' drinking and risky sex

The present study tested the proposition that an intervention to reduce alcohol use among college students will also reduce their risky sexual behavior.

Authors: Amy O'Donnell, Peter Anderson, Dorothy Newbury-Birch, Bernd Schulte, Christiane Schmidt, Jens Reimer and Eileen Kaner

As part of BISTAIRS, the aim of the study was to assess the cumulative evidence on the effectiveness of brief alcohol interventions in primary healthcare in order to highlight key knowledge gaps for further research.