Treatment and early intervention services

Abstract

Abstract This chapter examines the scientific basis of alcohol treatment policies in terms of research on the effectiveness and costs of a wide range of treatment interventions. Health and social services for alcohol problems typically involve screening, brief interventions, referral advice, diagnostic evaluation, detoxification, therapeutic interventions, and continuing care. The approaches with the greatest amount of supporting evidence are behaviour therapy, group therapy, family treatment, motivational enhancement, and some pharmacotherapies. Mutual help organizations, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, may also be effective as alternatives or adjuncts to treatment. Considerable evidence also supports the use of screening and brief intervention with hazardous and harmful drinkers who are not alcohol-dependent. Although treatment and early intervention can reduce the severity and frequency of alcohol-related problems, most treatment services are primarily aimed at responding to problems after they develop.