Key finding
Even very brief interventions may be effective with little evidence for an additional positive impact resulting from an increased dose of intervention.

Commentary
Even very brief interventions may be effective (1) with little evidence for an additional positive impact resulting from an increased dose of intervention (2-4).

Supporting evidence

(1) Whitlock, E. P., Polen, M. R., Green, C. A., Orleans, T., Klein, J., & U.S.Preventive Services Task Force (2004). Behavioral counseling interventions in primary care to reduce risky/harmful alcohol use by adults: a summary of the evidence for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Annals of Internal Medicine, 140 (7): 557-568.

(2) Ballesteros, J., Duffy, J. C., Querejeta, I., Arino, J., & Gonzalez-Pinto, A. (2004). Efficacy of brief interventions for hazardous drinkers in primary care: systematic review and meta-analyses. Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, 28 (4): 608-618.

(3) Bertholet, N., Daeppen, J. B., Wietlisbach, V., Fleming, M., & Burnand, B. (2005). Reduction of alcohol consumption by brief alcohol intervention in primary care: systematic review and meta-analysis. Archives of Internal Medicine, 165 (9): 986-995.

(4) Kaner, E. F. S., Beyer, F., Dickinson, H. O., Pienaar, E., Campbell, F., Schlesinger, C., Heather, N., Saunders, J., & Burnand, B. (2007). Effectiveness of brief alcohol interventions in primary care populations. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 18;(2):CD004148.