Effectiveness of a Nurse-led Brief Intervention on Motivation toward Alcohol Cessation and Treatment-seeking Behavior

A BSTRACT Context: Rendering brief intervention (BI) to alcohol users in patients with gastrointestinal complications with alcohol use disorders during their medical treatment enhances their motivation to quit alcohol and seeks de-addiction treatment from a mental health professional. Aim: To assess the effectiveness of a nurse-led BI on motivation toward alcohol cessation and treatment-seeking behavior (TSB) to a mental health professional in the general hospital settings. Settings and Design: Gastroenterology outpatient department in a tertiary care hospital. A randomized, pretest, posttest control group design was used. Subjects and Methods: Patients with alcohol use were screened and selected ( n = 60), and then randomized into two groups: experimental ( n = 30) and control groups ( n = 30) by concealment allocation. The experimental group was provided with BI for 25–30 min using principles of feedback, responsibility, advice, menu of options, empathy, and self-efficacy, whereas the control group receives treatment as usual. Motivation level and TSB were assessed using readiness to change questionnaire (RCQ) and TSB Assessment Scale at baseline and after 1 month of baseline assessment. Results: The motivation level was improved among the BI group after 1 month of BI. Significant changes were seen in the motivation level between the group on posttest as generalized estimating equation reveals a significant difference in the various levels of RCQ between the groups ( P = 0.023). With regard to TSB, there is no significant difference between the BI and control group ( P = 0.145). Conclusions: A nurse-led “BI” is effective in enhancing the motivation toward alcohol cessation but was found to be ineffective in changing the TSB toward cessation of alcohol.