Behavioural interventions most effective for higher risk drinkers, NWPHO report shows

A report from the North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO) demonstrates brief interventions for alcohol are the most cost effective, followed by interventions for smoking, sexual health and physical activity. 

Changing Health Choices - A review of the cost-effectiveness of individual level behaviour change interventions

Key findings include:

• The cost-effectiveness of brief interventions is strongest for interventions among high risk drinkers.
• The average costs of an intervention differ depending on the duration of the intervention, which health professional delivers it and the topic covered. For example, an intervention delivered by a GP is around double the cost of that delivered by a nurse, in terms of salary costs
• Training for nurses and other health professionals to undertake more brief interventions could therefore potentially lead to real cost savings or increased efficiencies. This is providing it can be shown that they are equally as effective as GPs in delivering these interventions, and that other costs (such as administration) are not increased

For resources and guidance on alcohol brief interventions (also known as Identification and Brief Advice) see here on the Alcohol Learning Centre. Findings from the SIPS trial are expected later this year which will provide insight into the most effective approaches for alcohol brief interventions.

The North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO) hosts the Local Alcohol Profiles for England which provide alcohol related harm data and indicators for areas across the country.

The NWPHO  is based at the Centre for Public Health (www.cph.org.uk), Liverpool John Moores University.