Dissemination of early intervention for harmful alcohol consumption in general practice (1994)

The high prevalence of alcohol consumption in the community suggests a need to adopt a population approach to reduce alcohol-related harm. Early intervention is a strategy which involves systematic screening of populations, followed by brief therapy for those drinking alcohol at hazardous and harmful levels. This approach has established efficacy and the potential to form an important component of the population approach. This paper describes a social marketing strategy which is being used to promote the use of early intervention in general practice. Qualitative research techniques were used to assess general practitioners' perceived need for early intervention and their opinions on the format and presentation of resource materials. Receptionists were interviewed to investigate potential barriers to implementation of early intervention in general practice. We found that general practitioners favourably received the concept of early intervention - it caused minimal disruption to practice routine, and intervention materials were well-received. Most general practitioners reported they would continue to use the early intervention materials. A controlled trial is underway which will compare the cost-effectiveness of three marketing methods for promoting early intervention. A second phase of the trial will establish the level of support necessary to provide early intervention to patients.