Efficacy of A&E brief interventions for injury; targeted vs universal approaches

The Drug and Alcohol Findings policy and research site has published two new bulletins reviewing key alcohol-related studies:

• A systematic review of emergency care brief alcohol interventions for injury patients.

The review found confirmation that brief advice to risky drinkers identified in accident and emergency departments can cut drinking and reduce the chance of further injuries and readmissions; the issue now is why this happens sometimes but not always.

• A preliminary study of the population-adjusted effectiveness of substance abuse prevention programming: towards making IOM program types comparable.

One of the biggest strategic decisions facing prevention planners is whether to target high-risk groups or to prioritise universal programmes. This analysis won't decide the issue, but it does create an important new tool for comparing these strategies.


The report examines the efficacy of universal or targeted interventions against different substances