STAGE 5. Defining the action plan

What steps should be completed?

Step 1: Specify intervention actions

BRIEF EARLY DETECTION AND HEALTH COUNSELLING INTERVENTIONS*

There is strong evidence from studies in different parts of the world, including Latin America and Europe, that brief interventions for early identification of substance use disorders, health counselling and motivational interviews carried out by the health services can significantly reduce substance abuse. These interventions significantly reduce alcohol and illegal drug consumption immediately after the intervention, with positive results maintained with time (one year after the intervention). Even single-session interventions focused on brief health counselling or a motivational interview produce meaningful and lasting results.

Brief screening interventions, brief health advice and motivational interviews offered by health services to people who abuse alcohol or other drugs cost-effective interventions, and can be beneficial to both adolescents and adults. However, long-term effects on alcohol abuse seem better and more conclusive in men than women.

The following characteristics are associated with positive results in brief interventions by health services:

GOOD FUNCTIONING

Implemented by trained personnel. Orientated to identify in a single session if there is a substance abuse problem. Provide immediate informed advice. Provide immediate referral when the person needs it.

The World Health Organization provides support for early identification and management of substance use disorders by brief interventions in healthcare systems, through the ASSIST project.  

More information can also be found in the following publications:

• Systems-Level Implementation of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment. SAMHSA. 
• Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention for Youth: A Practitioner’s Guide. NIAAA. 

Note: brief early detection and health counselling interventions, and motivational interviews, are interventions that straddle the areas of indicated prevention and treatment. For this reason, if you would like more information on this type of intervention, it may also be useful to consult the relevant chapters In the section “Evidence for treatments: brief interventions or motivational interview”.

 

* Based on International Standards on Drug Use Prevention (UNODC):