What Makes Emergency Department Patients Reduce Their Alcohol Consumption?--a Computer-based Intervention Study in Sweden

Objectives: This study investigates the effectiveness of a computerized emergency department intervention for alcohol consumption and identifies explanation factors associated with reduced alcohol consumption from risk to non-risk drinking.

Methods: Patients aged 18-69 years registered at the ED triage answered alcohol-related questions on a touch-screen computer. Follow-up data were collected by means of a postal questionnaire that was mailed to the patients 6 months after their ED visit.

Results: There were four independent explanations for reduced alcohol consumption: being motivated to reduce alcohol consumption at baseline, influenced by just visiting the emergency department, considering the alcohol-related feedback information and impact from a health care provider. 339 patients could be followed up and of these were 97 categorized as risk drinkers at baseline and 45 became non-risk drinker 6 month later.

Conclusions: Being motivated to reduce alcohol consumption at baseline, influenced by just visiting the emergency department, considering the alcohol-related feedback information and impact from a health care provider were predictors for change from risk to non-risk drinking 6 months later.