AUTHOR=Verthein Uwe , Lahusen Harald , Martens Marcus Sebastian , Prilutskaya Mariya , Yussopov Oleg , Kaliyeva Zhanar , Schulte Bernd 

TITLE=Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention in Primary Health Care in Kazakhstan—Results of a Cluster Randomised Pilot Study

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=67

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2022.1604803

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2022.1604803

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objective:</bold> The aim of this pilot trial was to assess the feasibility of ASBI in primary health care units (PHCUs) in Kazakhstan.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> A two-arm cluster randomised trial in five PHCUs based on the RE-AIM framework for implementation studies was carried out. Patients with AUDIT-C scores ≥4 for females and ≥5 for males received a brief face-to-face intervention delivered by a trained physician plus information leaflet (intervention group, IG) or simple feedback including a leaflet (control group, CG).</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Among 7327 patients eligible for alcohol screening according to the inclusion criteria 1148 patients were screened (15.7%, IG: 11.5%, CG: 27.3%). 12.3% (N = 141) were tested AUDIT-C positive (IG: 9.9%, CG: 15.1%). Out of 112 physicians invited, 48 took part in the ASBI training, 31 finally participated in the study, 21 in the IG (2 PHCUs), 10 in the CG (3 PHCUs). The majority of physicians did not have difficulties in performing the intervention.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> ASBI is feasible and can be implemented into PHC settings in Kazakhstan. However, the implementation depends on the willingness and interest of the PHCU and the physicians.</p>