Establishing an Italian General Practitioner Brief Intervention Pilot Project for Problem Drinkers

Abstract

This national pilot project commenced in 2004. It was promoted by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità and financed by the Italian Ministry of Health. The Italian Society of General Practitioners supported implementation of the study in general medical practitioner settings and coordination was undertaken by the Alcohol Centre of the University Hospital of Florence. The objectives of the study are to create a brief intervention package, suitable for use within the Italian primary health care system for screening and treating “hazardous drinkers”; to survey alcohol consumption in a sample of the population aged 18 or over, who the general practitioners assessed as suitable for brief intervention using the project's instruments; to conduct an experimental trial of brief intervention procedures, with “hazardous drinkers” randomly allocated to intervention or control conditions; to assess the effectiveness of brief intervention as a primary preventive measure. The early stage of this study concentrated on creating a strong research partnership to foster the involvement of general medical practitioners on a national scale. Subsequently, resources were devoted to the creation of the brief intervention package, including support material and the training of the general medical practitioners in its implementation.

Keywords:

• brief intervention
• general medical practitioners
• alcohol consumption–related problems
• “heavy drinkers”
• prevention
• cultural factors
• “hazardous drinkers”

Notes

Notes

*Treatment can be briefly and usefully defined as a planned, goal-directed change process, which is bounded (culture, place, time, etc.) and can be categorized into professional-based, tradition-based, mutual help-based (AA, NA, etc.), and self-help (“natural recovery”) models. There are no unique models or techniques used with substance users—of whatever types—that are not also used with non-substance users. In the West, with the relatively new ideology of “harm reduction,” there is now a new set of goals in addition to those derived from/associated with the older tradition of abstinence-driven models. Editor's note.

1. http://www.who-alcohol-phaseiv.net (World Health Organization, 1996)

2. In Italy, citizens can choose their own general medical practitioners, who are paid by the National Health Service (a pediatrician is provided by the National Health Service for all citizens under 16) and every citizen can see the general medical practitioner every time that is necessary without paying.

3. The Alcohol Centre has undertaken research and treatment of alcohol-related problems since 1990. It is located in the University Hospital of Careggi in Florence and cooperates on local, national, and international projects.

4. Istituto Superiore di Sanità coordinates the project, the Alcohol Centre provides technical and scientific support to the study, and a member of the Italian Society of General Practitioners represents the network of general medical practitioners.

5. The questionnaire was created by the steering commitee to monitor the study's activities. It contains eight questions related to the following areas:carrying out the screening, difficulties related to the use of questionnaire, difficulties related to the activities of the study, and a survey on the weak and strong aspects of the study.