Alcohol brief intervention in bars and taverns: a 12-month follow-up studyof Operation Drinksafe in Australia

This study examined the effect of an alcohol brief intervention program on drinkers in bars and taverns. A 12-month follow-up was conducted with 1211 patrons who took part in a program called Operation Drinksafe involving 118 hotels and clubs in north coast New South Wales Australia. The brief inter vention took similar to5 min and consisted of a personalized risk assessmen t using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) in combinatio n with a breathalyser to determine blood alcohol concentration (BAC). At fo llow-up, almost half (46%) the participants reported reduced their alcohol consumption. The mean AUDIT score reduced by 15%, weekly alcohol consumptio n by 13% and frequency of binge drinking by 19%. Those previously drinking at 'harmful' levels reduced most (AUDIT 29%, consumption 22% and binge freq uency 37%). Females had almost twice the odds of reducing consumption compa red to males (OR 1.75, CI: 1.33-2.33) as did participants with initial cons umption above the mean (OR 2.03, CI: 1.58-2.60). Older respondents showed s maller reductions than young people in composite AUDIT score, but greater r eductions on consumption and binge frequency scales. Although a control gro up was not feasible, these findings suggest that a brief intervention progr am, presented in an interesting way to drinkers in bars and taverns may eff ectively reduce risky alcohol consumption. Brief interventions may be parti cularly beneficial for those drinking at hazardous and harmful levels who a re ready to change their drinking pattern. The partnership between police a nd health services was the cornerstone of this intervention, and helped to foster co-operation and acceptance from licensees and their customers.