Characteristics of included studies
| Sample | Intervention | Outcomes | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Country | n† Per cent of F, age (years) | Setting | Provider | Arm | Content | Total minutes (sessions) | Definition (Q=quantity, F=frequency) | Time (months) |
| Aalto et al39 | Finland | 118, 100%, 41 | GP | GP/nurse | 1 | MI | 70–130 (7) | Q: amount per week; usual amount per occasion (g); F: drinking times per week | 36 |
| GP only | 2 | MI | 30–60 (7) | ||||||
| NA | C | TAU | |||||||
| Aalto et al40 | Finland | 296, 0%, 41 | GP | GP/nurse | 1 | MI | 70-130 (7) | Q: grams per week/per occasion F: drinking times per week | 36 |
| GP only | 2 | MI | 30-60 (7) | ||||||
| NA | C | TAU | |||||||
| Anderson and Scott41 | UK | 154, 0%, 44 | GP | GP | 1 | BA | 10 (1) | Q: breath alcohol (mg/100 ml); HSQ quantity/frequency and interview (g/week) | 12 |
| 2 | TAU | ||||||||
| Antti-Poika et al42 | Finland | 120, 0%, 39 | A&E | Nurse | 1 | BA | NR (1) | Q: grams of absolute alcohol during 1 week period | 6 (P-I) |
| C | NR | ||||||||
| Baer et al43 | USA | 508, 55%, NR | College | Counsellor | 1 | MI | Unclear (NR) | Q: mean drinks per drinking day; F: drinking days per average week | 24; 36 |
| C | Screening | ||||||||
| Beich et al44 | Denmark | 6897, 62%, 36 | GP | GP | 1 | MI plus | 10 (1) | Q: usual weekly consumption of beer, wine and spirits (units/week) | 12 |
| C | Screening | ||||||||
| Bernstein et al45 | USA | 835, 56%, 88%>18 | A&E | Peer | 1 | MI | Unclear (1) | Q: maximum drinks per day; mean drinks per drinking day; mean drinks per week F: drinking days per month | 3, 12 |
| C | Screening | ||||||||
| Butler et al46 | USA | 114, 65%, 20 | College | Media | 1 | BA | 11 (1) | Q: standard drinks per week; F: binge episodes; drinking occasions; drinking occasions | 1 (P-I) |
| Counsellor | 2 | MI | 41 (1) | ||||||
| NA | C | Screening | |||||||
| Carey et al47 | USA | 509, 65%, 19 | College | Counsellor | 1 | MI | 65 (1) | Q: drinks per drinking day; F: drinks per week; heavy drinking frequency | 6 or 12 |
| 2 | MI plus | 70 (1) | |||||||
| C | Screening | ||||||||
| Cherpitel et al48 | Poland | 446, 17%, 54% >30 | A&E | Nurse | 1 | MI plus | 15–20 (3) | Q: drinks per drinking day; maximum drinks per occasion past month; F: drinking days per week | 12 |
| C | Screening | ||||||||
| C | Assessment | ||||||||
| Chick et al49 | UK | 156, 0%, 18–65 | A&E | Nurse | 1 | BA | 60 (1) | Q: consumption on past week (units) | 12 |
| 2 | Screening | ||||||||
| Cordoba et al50 | Spain | 229, 0%, 36.5 | GP | GP | 1 | Branded | 15 (1) | Q: alcohol consumption units/week | 12 |
| C | Simple advice | ||||||||
| Crawford et al51 | UK | 599, 21%, 44 | A&E | Nurse | 1 | MI | 30 (3) | Q: mean units per drinking day; mean weekly units | 6 or 12 |
| C | Information | ||||||||
| Crawford et al52 | UK | 802, 54%, 27 | GP | Nurse | 1 | BA | 2–3 (1) | Q: mean units on drinking days; weekly alcohol consumption in units | 6 |
| C | Information | ||||||||
| Curry et al53 | USA | 333, 35%, 47 | GP | GP and counsellor | 1 | MI plus | 47 (1) | Q: drinks per week | 12 |
| C | TAU | ||||||||
| Daeppen et al54 | Switzerland | 987, 22%, 36.7 | A&E | Counsellor | 1 | MI | 17 (1) | Q: number of drinks per occasion/past week (past year) F: number of binge drinking occasions per month/per week (past year) | 12 |
| C | Assessment | ||||||||
| C | Nothing | ||||||||
| Daeppen et al55 | Switzerland | 2831, 0%, 19.9 | Community (military) | Counsellor | 1 | MI | 15.8 (2) | Q: change in drinks per week F: change in binge drinking occasions per month | 6 |
| C | Assessment | ||||||||
| Drummond et al56 | UK | 1204, 35%, 34.6 | A&E | Counsellor | 1 | Branded | 20 (1) | Q: average daily drinks | 6, 12 (P-I) |
| 2 | MI | 20 (1) | |||||||
| C | Information | ||||||||
| Field et al57 | USA | 1439, 18%, 33 | A&E | Counsellor | 1 | MI | Unclear (1) | Q: change in: alcohol per week; maximum amount in a day in past 6 months; F: change in per cent days heavy drinking | 6, 12 |
| C | TAU+assess | ||||||||
| Fleming and Manwell; Manwell et al, Grossberg et al35–37 | USA | 774, 38%, 29% 18–30 | GP | GP and nurse | 1 | Branded | 30 (2) | Q: number of drinks in past 7 days F: number of binge drinking episodes in past 30 days (binge drinking defined as having more than 4 drinks per occasion) | 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 (P-I) |
| C | Information | ||||||||
| Fleming and Manwell58 | USA | 158, 34%, 65–75 | GP | GP/nurse | 1 | Branded | 30 (2) | Q: number of drinks in past week; F: number of binge drinking occasions in past month | 6, 12 |
| C | Information | ||||||||
| Fleming et al59 | USA | 986, 51%, 21 | GP | GP | 1 | Branded | 30 (2) | Q: mean number of drinks; F: mean number of drinking days; mean number of heavy drinking days (past 28 days) | 6 |
| C | Information | ||||||||
| Freyer-Adam et al60 | Germany | 595, 6%, 41 | Hospital | GP | 1 | MI | unclear (1) | Q: average daily alcohol intake (g); total alcohol intake in past week (g) | 12 |
| Different providers* | 2 | MI | 78 (1) | ||||||
| C | TAU | ||||||||
| Gaume et al61 | Switzerland | 572, 0%, 19.9 | Community (military) | Counsellor | 1 | MI^ | 21.8 (1) | Q: mean change in number of standard (∼10 g of alcohol) drinks per week; F: mean change in heavy episodes (6 drinks or more) per month | 6 |
| 2 | MI^ | 21.8 (1) | |||||||
| C | Assessment | ||||||||
| Gaume et al 201462 | Switzerland | 431, 0%, 19 | Community (military) | Different providers | 1 | MI | 20–30 (1) | Q: number of drinks/day F: number of drinking days/week | 3 |
| C | Assessment | ||||||||
| Gentilello et al63 | USA | 762, 18%, 35.4 | A&E | Counsellor | 1 | MI | 30 (1) | Q: changes in the number of drinks consumed per week | 6, 12 |
| C | Assessment | ||||||||
| Gottlieb-Hansen et al64 | Denmark | 772, 49%, 60 | Community (research) | Different providers | 1 | MI | 15 (2) | Q: number of drinks per week | 6, 12 |
| C | Information | ||||||||
| Heather et al65 | UK | 104, 25%, 36.4 | GP | GP | 1 | Branded | NR | Q: heaviest months consumption in past 6 months (units); past month's consumption (units) | 6 |
| 2 | BA | ||||||||
| C | Assessment | ||||||||
| Holloway et al66 | UK | 215, 15%, 44 | Hospital | Nurse | 1 | MI | 20 (1) | Q: change from baseline in alcohol units in the past 7 days; Change in maximum units in 1 day F: change in drink days in past week | 6 |
| Media | 2 | Media | NR | ||||||
| NA | C | TAU | |||||||
| Ingersoll et al67 | USA | 217, 100%, 27.9 | Community (research) | Counsellor | 1 | MI, branded | 60 (1) | Q: drinks per drinking day | 3, 6 |
| NA | C | Information | |||||||
| Juarez et al68 | USA | 122, 53%, 19.4 | College | Counsellor | 1 | BA, MI | 60–80 (1) | Q: drinks per day | 2 |
| Counsellor | 2 | BA, MI | 40–60 (1) | ||||||
| Media | 3 | BA, MI | Unclear (1) | ||||||
| Counsellor | 4 | BA, MI | 40–60 (1) | ||||||
| NA | C | Assessment | |||||||
| Kulesza et al69 | USA | 114, 72%, 20 | College | Counsellor | 1 | MI plus | 10 (1) | Q: the DDQ | 6 weeks |
| 2 | MI plus | 50 (1) | |||||||
| C | Waiting List | ||||||||
| Kulesza et al70 | USA | 268, 71%, 20 | College | Counsellor | 1 | MI plus | 10 (1) | Q: average no. drinks/week | 4 weeks (P-I) |
| 2 | MI plus | 50 (1) | |||||||
| C | Discussion | ||||||||
| Larimer et al71 | USA | 159, NR<18.8 | College | Peer | 1 | MI plus | 60 (1) | Q: number of drinks over past month; total average use; F: frequency of use | 12 |
| 2 | MI plus | 60 (1) | |||||||
| C | TAU | ||||||||
| Liu et al72 | Taiwan | 616, 0%, 41 | A&E | Counsellor | 1 | MI | 60 (2) | Q: number of drinks in past 3 months (4 times a day); F: number of days heavy drinking (≥5 drinks) in past 3 months (4 times a day); number of days heavy drinking in the previous week (TFLB) | 4 |
| C | TAU | ||||||||
| Lock et al73 | UK | 127, 100%, 44.1 | GP | Nurse | 1 | Branded | 5–10 | Q: units per week | 12 (P-I) |
| C | TAU | ||||||||
| Maisto et al74 | USA | 301, 31%, 45.6 | GP | Researcher | 1 | BA | 10–15 (1) | Q: number of drinks in past 30 days F: number of days of 1–6 drinks in past 30 days; | 6, 12 |
| Counsellor | 2 | MI | 60–85 (1) | ||||||
| NA | 3 | Control | |||||||
| Murphy et al75 | USA | 99, 54%, 19.6 | College | Counsellor | 1 | MI | 45 (1) | Q: drinks per week; F: binge drinking days per week (4+ drinks for women; 5+ drinks for men); drinking days per week | 9 |
| Counsellor | 2 | BA | 50 (1) | ||||||
| NA | C | Assessment | |||||||
| Noknoy et al76 | Thailand | 59, 9%, 37 | GP | Nurse | 1 | MI | 45 (3) | Q: average drinking per drinking day during the previous week (drinks/drinking day) | 6 |
| C | Assessment | ||||||||
| Richmond et al77 | Australia | 378, 43%, 37.7 | GP | GP | 1 | Branded | 30–55 (1) | Q: no units of ethanol in the past 7 days | 6, 12 |
| 2 | BA | 5 (1) | |||||||
| C | Nothing | ||||||||
| Rubio et al78 | Spain | 752, 35%, 18–65 | GP | GP | 1 | Branded | 20–30 (2) | Q: number of drinks in past 7 days (mean/SD); F: number of binge episodes (past 30 days) (mean/SD) (>4 drinks for women and 5 for men in a single occasion) | 12 |
| C | Information | ||||||||
| Rubio et al79 | USA | 330, 100%, 24 | GP | Different providers | 1 | MI | 70 (1) | Q: drinks per day | 6 weeks, 6, 12 PP |
| 2 | Control | ||||||||
| Saitz et al80 | USA | 341, 29%, 45 | Hospital | Counsellor | 1 | MI | 30 (1) | Q: change decrease in number drinks/day F: change decrease in heavy drinking episodes | 12 |
| C | TAU | ||||||||
| Schaus et al 200981 | USA | 363, 52%, 20.6 | GP | GP | 1 | MI plus | 40 (2) | Q: average drinks per sitting/week; peak number of drinks in sitting; F: number of days drinking 4+ drinks in month; number of times drunk in typical week | 6, 9 |
| C | Information | ||||||||
| Senft et al82 | USA | 516, 30%, 41.9 | GP | GP/counsellor | 1 | MI | 15 (1) | Q: drinks/drinking day over past 6 months; total SECs past 3 months; F: drinking days/week over past 6 months | 6, 12 |
| C | TAU | ||||||||
| C | Referral to GP | ||||||||
| Shiles et al83 | UK | 154, NR, 51 | Hospital | Nurse | 1 | BA | 10 (1) | Q: daily units of alcohol in past week | 3, 12 |
| C | TAU | ||||||||
| Smith et al84 | UK | 151, 0%, 24 | Hospital | Nurse | 1 | MI | NR | Q: 84-day alcohol consumption; alcohol consumption in a typical week | 3, 12 |
| C | TAU | ||||||||
| Wagener et al85 | USA | 152, 45%, 20.9 | College | Media | 1 | MI | 45 (1) | Q: weekly alcohol consumption using DDQ | 10 weeks |
| Counsellor | 2 | MI | 105–135 (1) | ||||||
| Counsellor | 3 | MI | NR (1) | ||||||
| NA | C | Assessment | |||||||
| Walters et al86 | USA | 279 | College | Counsellor | 1 | MI (no feedback) | 40 (1) | Q: number of drinks per week | 3, 6 |
| Counsellor | 2 | MI (feedback) | |||||||
| Media | 3 | ||||||||
| C | Assessment | ||||||||
| Watt et al87 | UK | 269 | Community (CJS) | Different providers | 1 | MI | 15–20 | Q: number of units consumed per week; F: number of drinking days in the past 3 months | 3, 12 (PI) |
| C | NR | ||||||||
Sample: † n denotes eligible sample randomised at baseline; F=female.
Setting: CJS, Criminal Justice Service; GP, general practice; A&E, accident and emergency.
Providers: *different providers defined as (psychologist, social worker or research nurse).
Content: ^stratified by heavy episodic and non-heavy episodic users. TAU, treatment as usual; BA, brief advice; MI, motivational interviewing.
Arm: C, control group.
Outcome: four times a day, quick drinking screen; TFLB, alcohol timeline follow-back; DDQ, Daily Drinking Questionnaire.
Outcome time=all outcomes measured in months postbaseline, unless specified: PI, postintervention; wks, weeks; PP, postpartum.
HSQ, Health Survey Questionnaire; NA, not available; NR, not reported; SEC, Standard Ethanol Content Units.