Sensitivity analysis indicates that from both perspectives the service is very cost effective and may be cost saving .
CONCLUSIONS These results make alcohol screening and counseling one of the highest-ranking preventive services among the 25 effective services evaluated using st and ardized methods .
BACKGROUND The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force ( USPSTF ) has recommended screening and behavioral counseling interventions in primary care to reduce alcohol misuse .
This study was design ed to develop a st and ardized rating for the clinical ly preventable burden and cost effectiveness of complying with that recommendation that would allow comparisons across many recommended services .
Controlled evaluation of a general practice-based brief intervention for excessive drinking.
In a controlled evaluation of general practitioner (GP)-based brief intervention , 378 excessive drinkers identified opportunistically by screening in 40 group practice s in metropolitan Sydney were assigned to groups receiving : ( i ) a five-session intervention by the GP ( the Alcoholscreen Program ) ; ( ii ) a single session of 5 minutes ' advice by the GP plus a self-help manual ( minimal intervention ) ; ( iii ) an alcohol-related assessment but no intervention ; ( iv ) neither intervention nor assessment . Among all patients allocated to receive it , the Alcoholscreen Program did not result in a significantly greater reduction in consumption at follow-up than control conditions but patients offered Alcoholscreen reported a significantly greater reduction in alcohol-related problems in the period to 6 months follow-up . A greater proportion of patients who returned for the second Alcoholscreen visit were drinking below recommended levels at follow-up than in the remainder of the sample . There was no evidence that minimal intervention or alcohol-related assessment were effective in reducing alcohol consumption or problems . Implication s for further research into GP-based brief interventions are discussed
Sensitivity analysis indicates that from both perspectives the service is very cost effective and may be cost saving .
CONCLUSIONS These results make alcohol screening and counseling one of the highest-ranking preventive services among the 25 effective services evaluated using st and ardized methods .
BACKGROUND The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force ( USPSTF ) has recommended screening and behavioral counseling interventions in primary care to reduce alcohol misuse .
This study was design ed to develop a st and ardized rating for the clinical ly preventable burden and cost effectiveness of complying with that recommendation that would allow comparisons across many recommended services .