Motivational interviewing with hazardous drinkers

This study targeted rural people at risk for alcohol dependence utilizing Community Health Care Centers in rural Southeastern Idaho. Hazardous alcohol users are an important population, since their alcohol pattern implies a high risk of future damage to health. Hazardous alcohol use is defined as an established pattern of use, placing the user at increased risk for future damage to physical and mental health but not yet evidencing significant medical or psychiatric problems. Motivational interviewing (MI) is a well-documented intervention used to assist people in recognizing their current or potential problems and to consciously decide to change their behavior. It is a therapeutic style intended to help clinicians work with clients to address their ambivalence. A treatment protocol incorporating the strengths of motivational interviewing into a systematic approach to hazardous drinkers in community clinic settings was designed and compared against a no treatment comparison group. A screening device named Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to screen interested clients' alcohol use. Clients achieving an AUDIT score indicting hazardous alcohol use were recruited into the study and randomized into a control or treatment group. Twenty-six hazardous drinkers attending five low-income Community Health Centers participated in the study. The experimental group participated in one motivational interviewing session with the investigator. The comparison group received no treatment. Alcohol use was tracked for 6 weeks after successful recruitment into the program.