Evidence based practice guidelines and findings for brief interventions

1. Evidence-based practice
guidelines and findings
for brief interventions

2. Brief interventions are indicated
for…
• Adults with alcohol misuse.
• Drug users who have minimal contact with services (hard to reach)
(NICE 2007).
• In primary care, accident and emergency, secondary & social care,
education, outreach and contexts (i.e. needle exchange) (NICE, 2010).
• Prison populations (NICE, 2010).
• However, although the evidence on BI is
not as strong in other settings, they may still
be a useful early intervention.

3. Evidence for brief interventions
and extended brief interventions
• Brief interventions delivered at unplanned or opportunistic contacts
are shown to be effective with alcohol misusers (Nilsen et al 2008;
Mulvihill et al 2005; Williams et al 2007).
• There is less evidence for the effectiveness of brief interventions
with drug misusers (Upton & Thirlaway 2014).
• Extended brief interventions may be required for people who are
resistant to occasional or informal brief intervention.
• Extended brief interventions are recommended to be undertaken by
practitioners in any context when they have received training in
extended brief intervention or motivational interviewing (NICE, 2010).

4. Alcohol dependence
• Where brief intervention has indicated someone might be physically
dependent on alcohol, guidelines indicate that a full assessment
should be carried out (NHS Scotland 2015).
• See Assessment and How to talk about substance use for more on
this.
• Evidence suggests that it is less effective in medium term with
young people (Foxcroft et al. 2003).
• Evidence suggests that brief intervention is more effective and
longer lasting when given in multi-contact sessions (Mulvihill et al. 2005:
NICE, 2010).

5. Next...
• You can review the case studies in this learning resource for
examples of brief intervention, its identification and delivery.
• You can also test yourself on knowledge and understanding of brief
intervention by using the quizzes in this learning resource.
• However, this skill is best developed and practiced in the real world.
Try brief intervention at the next appropriate opportunity in your
work.

6. References
• Foxcroft D Ireland D Lister-Sharp J Lowe G & Breen R (2003) Longer term primary
prevention for alcohol misuse in young people. Addiction 98: 397-411.
• Mulvihill C Taylor L & Waller S (2005) Prevention and reduction of alcohol misuse:
evidence briefing. London. Health Development Agency.
• NHS Health Scotland (2015) Delivering an ABI: Process, screening tools and
guidance notes. Edinburgh. NHS Health Scotland.
• NICE (2007) Drug misuse: psychosocial interventions. National Institute of Clinical
Excellence Clinical Guideline 51.
• NICE (2010) Alcohol-use disorders: preventing the development of hazardous and
harmful drinking. National Institute of Clinical Excellence Public Health Guidance 24.
• Nilsen P Baird J Mello M Nirenburg T Woolard R Bendtsen PLongabough R (2008) A
systematic review of emergency care brief alcohol interventions for injury patients.
Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. 35(2): 184-201.
• Upton D & Thirlaway K (2014) Promoting Healthy Behaviour. Abingdon, Routledge.
• Williams E Horton N Samet J & Saitz R (2007) Do brief measures of readiness to
change predict alcohol consumption and consequences in primary care patients with
unhealthy alcohol use? Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research31: 428-435.