Evidence based practice guidelines and findings for brief interventions
- 1. Evidence-based practice guidelines and findings for brief interventions
- 2. Brief interventions are indicated for… • Adults with alcohol misuse. • Drug users who have minimal contact with services (hard to reach) (NICE 2007). • In primary care, accident and emergency, secondary & social care, education, outreach and contexts (i.e. needle exchange) (NICE, 2010). • Prison populations (NICE, 2010). • However, although the evidence on BI is not as strong in other settings, they may still be a useful early intervention.
- 3. Evidence for brief interventions and extended brief interventions • Brief interventions delivered at unplanned or opportunistic contacts are shown to be effective with alcohol misusers (Nilsen et al 2008; Mulvihill et al 2005; Williams et al 2007). • There is less evidence for the effectiveness of brief interventions with drug misusers (Upton & Thirlaway 2014). • Extended brief interventions may be required for people who are resistant to occasional or informal brief intervention. • Extended brief interventions are recommended to be undertaken by practitioners in any context when they have received training in extended brief intervention or motivational interviewing (NICE, 2010).
- 4. Alcohol dependence • Where brief intervention has indicated someone might be physically dependent on alcohol, guidelines indicate that a full assessment should be carried out (NHS Scotland 2015). • See Assessment and How to talk about substance use for more on this. • Evidence suggests that it is less effective in medium term with young people (Foxcroft et al. 2003). • Evidence suggests that brief intervention is more effective and longer lasting when given in multi-contact sessions (Mulvihill et al. 2005: NICE, 2010).
- 5. Next... • You can review the case studies in this learning resource for examples of brief intervention, its identification and delivery. • You can also test yourself on knowledge and understanding of brief intervention by using the quizzes in this learning resource. • However, this skill is best developed and practiced in the real world. Try brief intervention at the next appropriate opportunity in your work.
- 6. References • Foxcroft D Ireland D Lister-Sharp J Lowe G & Breen R (2003) Longer term primary prevention for alcohol misuse in young people. Addiction 98: 397-411. • Mulvihill C Taylor L & Waller S (2005) Prevention and reduction of alcohol misuse: evidence briefing. London. Health Development Agency. • NHS Health Scotland (2015) Delivering an ABI: Process, screening tools and guidance notes. Edinburgh. NHS Health Scotland. • NICE (2007) Drug misuse: psychosocial interventions. National Institute of Clinical Excellence Clinical Guideline 51. • NICE (2010) Alcohol-use disorders: preventing the development of hazardous and harmful drinking. National Institute of Clinical Excellence Public Health Guidance 24. • Nilsen P Baird J Mello M Nirenburg T Woolard R Bendtsen PLongabough R (2008) A systematic review of emergency care brief alcohol interventions for injury patients. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. 35(2): 184-201. • Upton D & Thirlaway K (2014) Promoting Healthy Behaviour. Abingdon, Routledge. • Williams E Horton N Samet J & Saitz R (2007) Do brief measures of readiness to change predict alcohol consumption and consequences in primary care patients with unhealthy alcohol use? Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research31: 428-435.