What do systematic reviews say?

Brief intervention vs brief advice, information, or assessment only

• Psychosocial and pharmacologic interventions to reduce harmful alcohol use in low‐ and middle‐income countries 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  12 studies · 5380 participants
  Very low

Brief intervention vs treatment

Brief intervention (BI) showed no clear difference in retention compared with treatment (low certainty).

• Psychosocial interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in concurrent problem alcohol and illicit drug users 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.94 [0.78, 1.13]
  3 studies · 190 participants
  Low

Other psychosocial intervention vs usual care, brief intervention, or wait list

• Psychosocial and pharmacologic interventions to reduce harmful alcohol use in low‐ and middle‐income countries 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  9 studies · 1664 participants
  Very low

Brief motivational interviewing (BMI) vs assessment‐only to reduce alcohol consumption

Brief motivational interviewing (BMI) showed no clear difference in retention ‐ end of treatment compared with assessment‐only to reduce alcohol consumption (moderate certainty).

• Psychosocial interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in concurrent problem alcohol and illicit drug users 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.98 [0.94, 1.02]
  1 study · 190 participants
  Moderate