TY - JOUR T1 - Brief interventions for older adults (BIO) delivered by non-specialist community health workers to reduce at-risk drinking in primary care: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. JF - BMJ Open Y1 - 2021 A1 - Paula, Tassiane Cristine Santos A1 - Chagas, Camila A1 - Noto, Ana Regina A1 - Formigoni, Maria Lucia Oliveira Souza A1 - Pereira, Tiago Veiga A1 - Ferri, Cleusa Pinheiro KW - Aged KW - Alcohol Drinking KW - Alcoholism KW - Brazil KW - Community Health Workers KW - Cost-Benefit Analysis KW - Crisis Intervention KW - Humans KW - Primary Health Care KW - Quality of Life KW - Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic AB -

INTRODUCTION: Evidence suggests that brief interventions are effective in reducing alcohol consumption among older adults. However, the effectiveness of these interventions when delivered by community health workers (non-specialists) in a primary healthcare setting is unknown. To our knowledge, this will be the first randomised trial to examine this.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Two hundred and forty-two individuals considered at-risk drinkers (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption, AUDIT-C score ≥4) will be recruited and randomly allocated to usual care (waiting-list) or usual care plus an intervention delivered by trained community health workers (non-specialists). Seven primary care units (PCUs) in Sao José dos Campos, Brazil. PCUs are part of the Brazilian public healthcare system (Sistema Único de Saúde).6 months.The primary outcome will be the proportion of participants considered at-risk drinkers (AUDIT-C score ≥4). Secondary outcomes will include alcohol consumption in a typical week in the last 30 days (in units per week) assessed by the AUDIT, service use questionnaire, cognitive performance-assessed by The Health and Retirement Study Harmonised Cognitive Assessment, physical activity-assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, depression-assessed by the Geriatric Depression Scale and quality of life-assessed by the Control, Autonomy, Self-realisation and Pleasure-16 instrument. The analysis will be based on intention-to-treat principle.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the Universidade Federal de São Paulo, CEP/UNIFESP Project n: 0690/2018; CAAE: 91648618.0.0000.5505. All eligible participants will provide informed consent prior to randomisation. The results of this study will be published in relevant peer-reviewed journals and in conference presentations.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: RBR-8rcxkk.

VL - 11 IS - 5 ER -