The research identified clinical studies on the brief interventions for the abusive use of alcohol and analyzed the effectiveness of professional advises proposed to alcohol consumers. The systematic bibliographical study was based on articles published during the period of 1997 to 2010. Brief intervention strategy is effective in the reduction on the frequency and amount of alcohol use, with better results when the strategy is applied to the primary attention situations. All professionals obtained good results using this therapy. It was not possible to determine if the strategy is most effective when applied to harmful drinkers or to chronic drinkers, since the intervention also depends on the patient's availability of motivational resources and on changes in attitude regarding the abusive use of alcohol.
Alcohol; Brief Intervention; Basic Attention; Treatment; Effectiveness
