Alcohol Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral: Helping Patients Reduce Alcohol-related Risks and Harms resource

Alcohol Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral: Helping Patients Reduce Alcohol-related Risks and Harms is a resource for Canadian family physicians, nurse practitioners and other healthcare professionals developed by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.

The online resource, available in both English and French, uses a three-step alcohol screening, brief intervention, and referral process. The resource section includes information on seven sub-populations, including women, alcohol and pregnancy, and alcohol and breastfeeding.

Research evidence supports screening and brief interventions for alcohol misuse as efficacious and cost-effective in a variety of settings.

There are a range of screening tools out there (see posts listed below for more); this resource incorporates Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines which were released in November 2011.

For more on screening in primary care settings, see previous posts:

• FASD Prevention in Sweden (June 4, 2012)
• “No Alcohol, No Risk” Film for Midwives (May 22, 2012)
• Women and alcohol resources from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) (March 29, 2012)
• Addiction Toolkit: Alcohol Use in Pregnancy (September 26, 2011)
• Targeting Health Professionals in Western Australia (February 9, 2011)
• Ask, Advise, Assist – new guide for health professionals published by New Zealand Ministry of Health (September 15, 2010)
• SOGC releases new clinical guidelines on alcohol use and pregnancy (August 12, 2010)