Screening and Brief Intervention for Alcohol Misuse in Older Adults: Training Outcomes Among Physicians and Other Healthcare Practitioners in Community-Based Settings.

Screening and brief intervention (SBI) is increasingly available to older adults who engage in at-risk drinking. This study examined the extent to which SBI training influenced the willingness of healthcare providers in a community-based hospital and other clinical settings to promote the implementation of SBI. Ninety-three healthcare practitioners (primarily physicians, nurses, and social workers) who attended SBI training were asked about their intentions to apply the information in their professional practice, as well as their enthusiasm about recommending the training to others in their profession. Although there were no differences among the professions in terms of commitment to apply the information or level of comfort using the techniques, physicians were less interested in promoting SBI training among their colleagues. Although it may be more difficult to promote SBI in locations that don't primarily provide mental health services, results suggest that primary care settings are precisely where training may be most useful.