Barriers and Risks to Implementation of Brief Interventions after Screening of Alcohol Use Disorders by Means of AUDIT in Trauma Surgery A Report from a Practice-Based Project

Over the course of 3 months a modified AUDIT was applied in a ward for trauma surgery in order to identify patients with alcohol use disorders and lead them towards specialized treatment of addictions after a brief intervention. 361 patients received the survey during their first days of treatment followed by an offer for a counsel if screening results were conspicuous. Using this procedure no patient with severe alcohol use disorder was reached in a naturalistic setting. In fact, a reduced utilisation of the previously common counselling procedure and the potentially reduced rate of diagnoses through attending physicians indicate a potential risk of decreasing quality of treatment. Implementation drivers have to be considered.