Background: Alcohol misuse (AM) among young adults remains a public health issue that is underaddressed in primary care. Despite well-supported recommendations to screen and offer brief interventions for AM, most primary care providers do not address the issue.
Local problem: Increasing rates of alcohol-related incidents and lack of a standardized alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention (SBI) program were identified in a private university health center.
Methods: Nurse practitioners, staff nurses, and physicians received education on alcohol SBI. Young adult students visiting a college health center were administered the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption electronically followed by a brief motivational intervention if they screened positive using embedded Electronic Health Record templates. Preimplementation/postimplementation chart audit and surveys were used to evaluate effectiveness.
Interventions: Following staff education, a standardized alcohol SBI program was implemented in a private university health center.
Results: Increased alcohol screening and intervention rates, as well as increased knowledge about AM, and reduced alcohol use among participants were identified.
Conclusions: Through staff education and by embedding standard alcohol SBI templates, more at-risk young adults were identified and rendered alcohol interventions during routine visits. This replicable program can improve outcomes related to AM in the primary care setting.