Randomized Controlled Trial of Mailed Personalized Feedback for Risky Drinkers in the Emergency Department: The Impact on Alcohol Consumption, Alcohol‐Related Injuries, and Repeat Emergency Department Presentations

Publisher： John Wiley & Sons Inc

E-ISSN： 1530-0277|39|7|1260-1266

ISSN： 0145-6008

Source： ALCOHOLISM (ELECTRONIC), Vol.39, Iss.7, 2015-07, pp. : 1260-1266

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Abstract

BackgroundDue to the difficulty encountered in disseminating resource‐intensive emergency department (ED)‐based brief alcohol interventions into real‐world settings, this study evaluated the effect of a mailed personalized feedback intervention for problem drinking ED patients. At 6‐week follow‐up, this intervention was associated with a statistically significant reduction in alcohol consumption among patients with alcohol‐involved ED presentations. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of this intervention over time.MethodsA randomized controlled trial was conducted among problem drinking ED patients, defined as those scoring 8 or more on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Participants in the intervention group received mailed personalized feedback regarding their alcohol consumption. The control group received no feedback. Follow‐up interviews were conducted over the phone, postal survey, or email survey 6 weeks and 6 months after baseline screening, and repeat ED presentations over 12‐month follow‐up were ascertained via linked ED records.ResultsSix‐month follow‐up interviews were completed with 210 participants (69%), and linked ED records were obtained for 286 participants (94%). The intervention had no effect on alcohol consumption, while findings regarding alcohol‐related injuries and repeat ED presentations remain inconclusive.ConclusionsFurther research in which the receipt of feedback is improved and a booster intervention is provided is recommended.