An evaluation of two primary care interventions for alcohol abuse among Mexican-American patients

• Published in: Addiction (Abingdon, England) Vol. 92; no. 12; pp. 1705 - 1716
• Main Authors: BURGE, S. K, AMODEI, N, ELKIN, B, CATALA, S, RODRIGUEZ ANDREW, S, LANE, P. A, SEALE, J. P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Blackwell 01.12.1997; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Addiction; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Alcohol Abuse; Alcohol use; Alcoholism; Alcoholism - ethnology; Alcoholism - therapy; Analysis of Variance; Biological and medical sciences; Dependency rehabilitation; Desintoxication. Drug withdrawal; Female; Health care; Hispanic Americans; Hospital treatment; Humans; Intervention; Male; Medical sciences; Mexican American people; Mexican Americans; Mexicans; Middle Aged; Patient Education as Topic; Patients; Primary Health Care; Program Evaluation; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychotherapy - methods; Referral and Consultation; Substance abuse; Substance abuse treatment; Texas; Treatment Methods; Treatment Outcomes; Treatments; U.S.A; United States; North America; America; Texas; Human; Alcoholic beverage; Poison withdrawal; Treatment; Abuse; General practitioner; Primary health care; Alcoholism; Health education; Latinamerican
• ISSN: 0965-2140; 1360-0443
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1360-0443.1997.9212170512.x

This study examined the effects of two primary care interventions (a physician intervention and a clinic-based psychoeducational group) on drinking patterns, psychosocial problems and blood test results (MCV, GGT, SGOT and SGPT). Subjects were randomized into one of four treatment groups: physician intervention, psychoeducation, both interventions, or no intervention. Follow-up data were collected at 12 and 18 months. Subjects were recruited from a family practice outpatient clinic managed by a public hospital. Included 175 Mexican-American female and male primary care patients who screened positive for alcohol abuse or dependence. These patients were not seeking help for alcohol problems. Included a brief physician intervention and a 6-week patient psychoeducational group. The Diagnostic Interview Schedule assessed subjects for alcohol abuse; the Addiction Severity Index measured alcohol-related problems, including psychosocial issues. All four treatment groups demonstrated significant improvement over time, with few differences between intervention and control groups. Assessment can be confounded with brief interventions; future investigators should use non-assessed control groups.