How Do Alcohol Brief Interventions Fit With Models of Integrated Primary Care?

Hazardous and harmful alcohol use is prevalent in the United States and can lead to serious health risks for the individual and create a costly burden on the health care system. Research supports the use of brief interventions designed to reduce hazardous and harmful drinking. This article explores the fit of these brief interventions with integrative health care models within the context of the United States' health care system. A literature review was conducted of alcohol brief interventions empirically evaluated for application in primary care and published within the last 10 years. There are several individual elements of brief interventions that match models of integrated health care; however, there are also significant inconsistencies. These inconsistencies are discussed in relation to three domains: (1) level of communication between providers, (2) delivery of the intervention, and (3) translation into practice. In addition, suggestions for future research and program development are provided to help address some of the barriers to implementation.