Implementing Screening and Brief Interventions for Excessive Drinkers in Primary Health Care

Alcohol is an important risk factor for several diseases, even when consumed moderately. Screening and advising at-risk drinkers to cut-down is a highly effective and cost-effective intervention when conducted in primary healthcare settings. However, these interventions are seldom implemented at the primary care level.

Twelve out of the 26 primary health care units of the Dão Lafões Grouping of Primary Health Care Centres will be randomized to two groups: the intervention arm will receive the new implementation program; the control group will be on a waiting list for receiving the implementation program and will receive the intervention after the testing phase of the trial is completed. The study will last for one year, starting in January 2017. The implementation program was designed in order to overcome known barriers for implementing alcohol screening and brief advice in primary health care. The Behaviour Change Wheel and the Theoretical Domains Framework were used to pinpoint the constructs and behaviour change techniques most suited to address the barriers in order to achieve practice changes.

Inclusion criteria

• Primary health care units of the Dão Lafões Grouping of Primary Health Care Centres (family physicians/general practitioners, family medicine residents, practice nurses and receptionists)

Exclusion criteria

• Primary health care units with four or less general practitioners
• Primary health care units that have a specific alcohol program already implemented