Early intervention in the hospital setting: experience from the WHO Collaborative Study

Early intervention is a new approach to the management of problem drinking. It consists of, firstly, a screening test to detect persons drinking harmfully or hazardously before dependence has become established. This is followed by a short diagnostic interview and a brief session of therapy. It is intended to be within the scope of non-specialist health professionals working in a variety of health care settings. The W.H.O. Collaborative Study which forms the subject of this present paper, was established to develop a suitable screening procedure and to evaluate various forms of brief therapy. A ten item “core” questionnaire has been developed by selecting the most representative questions contained within a comprehensive assessment schedule which was administered to alcohol consumers (excluding those physically dependent) recruited in six centres in both the developed and developing worlds. The questions selected relate to the quantity and frequency of drinking, alcohol dependence and alcohol-related prob...