Brief intervention helps ER patients reduce risky drinking

Asking emergency department patients about their alcohol use and talking with them about harmful drinking patterns is an effective way to lower rates of risky drinking in these patients, according to a nationwide study supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. "This encouraging find raises the prospect of reaching many individuals whose alcohol misuse might otherwise go untreated," said NIAAA Director Ting Kai Li, MD. The report appeared in the December 2007 issue of the Annals of Emergency Medicine.