Phone Intervention for Alcohol (ETOH) Use in Emergency Department Motor Vehicle Crash (ED MVC) Patients

Study of Effectiveness of BI Given to Injured MVC ED Patients Who Use Alcohol Harmfully and Hazardously

The purpose of this study is to determine if a brief counseling intervention, delivered by telephone, is more effective than standard ED care, to reduce future alcohol related injuries and alcohol related negative consequences, among patients treated in the ED for injuries from an MVC and other injury mechanisms.

Alcohol related motor vehicle crashes (MVC) continue to be a substantial public health problem. Brief interventions for alcohol (BI) for injured ED patients have been demonstrated to be effective, and perhaps more so for MVC patients.

Telephone interventions have been utilized in varying ways in health care. We compared the delivery of two brief interventions by telephone against an assessment only condition. Participants who received the BI and the assessment only condition were contacted 3 and 12 months after recruitment. Data about alcohol use, injuries and high risk behaviors, including drinking and driving behaviors were collected at the 3 and 12 month follow-up assessments.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 years or older
• Emergency department patient
• Subacute injury
• Motor vehicle crash or other injury
• Alcohol use at harmful and hazardous levels

Exclusion Criteria:

• Younger than 18 years old
• Does not meet alcohol use criteria
• Non-English speaker
• In police custody
• Suicidal
• Psychiatric diagnosis
• No locator
• Injury occurred > 72 hours prior to ED visit