There is growing evidence that treatment for persons with a drinking problem is more effective when it is provided at an early stage than if delayed until dependence has become established and disability severe. There are two essential components in any early intervention programme — a simple, but valid, procedure to detect persons drinking harmfully and a brief, systematic form of therapy that can be delivered by non-specialist health professionals in a variety of health care settings. The WHO Collaborative Study 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 non-alcoholic drinkers 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 problems inc...
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