The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 275 No 7369 p404
1 October 2005

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Pharmacies can offer alcohol-screening services

A five-minute consultation with a community pharmacist can reduce drinking by 10 per cent in those displaying hazardous drinking behaviour, according to a study conducted by researchers from the department of pharmacy at King’s College, London.

In a pilot run from a community pharmacy, 40 volunteers were asked to complete a “drink diary” and answer questions about their alcohol use from an identification tool validated by the World Health Organization. Then, in either a five- or 15-minute consultation, the pharmacist discussed the results of the identification tool and diary, explored how the volunteer felt about his or her drinking habits and gave information about the dangers of alcohol. Volunteers were asked to complete a second drink diary after one week.

Those identified as drinking in a harmful way achieved an average reduction in alcohol consumption of 2.8 units per week. However, the average weekly alcohol consumption of those who did not exhibit harmful drinking behaviour increased by 0.5 units. The duration of the consultation had no significant effect on alcohol consumption, so a community pharmacy-based five-minute alcohol screening service could be viable for time-strapped pharmacies.

Presenting the study results at this year’s British Pharmaceutical Conference, Ranjita Dhital, substance misuse services, Central and North West London Mental Health NHS Trust, said: “This study indicates that people feel at ease and are comfortable with confiding in pharmacists regarding their concerns about alcohol consumption, and are willing to ask for advice.”