| Learning Objective #1: identify the principles of brief interventions for high risk drinkers enabling their application into the clinical setting. | |||
| Learning Objective #2: assess methodological techniques in studying the application of evidence-based guidelines for high-risk drinkers into clinical practice. |
Population estimates suggest that more than one-third of Americans drink excessively with even higher rates for individuals treated in primary care (PC) settings. This problem is not unique to the U.S. and world-wide public health agencies have issued recommendations to screen patients for alcohol misuse and deliver brief interventions (BI) to individuals considered to be high-risk drinkers. Screening and brief interventions (SBIs) are those practices that investigate a potential problem and motivate an individual to begin to do something about that problem. Numerous randomized controlled trials support the use of SBI for reducing alcohol consumption. Several recent meta-analyses and systemic reviews affirm that heavy drinkers in the PC setting obtain modest benefit with reductions from heavy to acceptable rates of consumption ranging from 10% -19 % when they receive brief alcohol intervention.
Regardless of these findings and recommendations, internationally PC nurses and physicians are inadequately providing BI to high-risk drinkers. In essence little is known about what occurs during the PC visit with respect to interventions related to alcohol consumption, even when there SBI guidelines are on-site. The purpose of this project has been to develop methodologies aimed at providing a greater understanding of the patient-provider interaction relative to interventions for reducing alcohol consumption.
The Quality Health Outcomes Model, which takes into consideration the complex impact of client and system characteristics on intervention and outcomes, underpins this research. The research plan presented incorporates a descriptive cross-sectional design that triangulates quantitative and qualitative methodologies to better understand how BI guidelines translate into clinical practice. Client characteristics are captured through standard screening and staging questionnaires, while system and intervention characteristics are appreciated by review of audio-tapes, chart documentation, and client exit interview. These methodologies allow for the deconstruction of the clinical interaction to analyze the use of BI in the PC setting.
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See more of The 17th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based Practice (19-22 July 2006)