Health
Counseling helps stem alcohol use
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Oct. 25, 2004
Physicians who spent only a few focused minutes counseling young patients about reducing their alcohol use were successful in reducing high-risk drinking as well as the number of motor vehicle crashes, arrests for drug or liquor violations and emergency department visits, according to research published in the September/October Annals of Family Medicine.
In a trial involving 226 young adults between the ages of 18 and 30, researchers found that among those who received counseling compared with those who did not, counseling resulted in a 40% to 50% decrease in alcohol use, 42% fewer emergency department visits, 55% fewer motor vehicle crashes and significantly fewer arrests for possession of controlled substances or liquor violations.
Given the positive results, the researchers recommended that primary care physicians make counseling for high-risk drinking a high priority.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/10/25/hlbf1025.htm.
