Effectiveness of Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test-Linked Brief Intervention on Harmful and Hazardous Alcohol Use in Nigerian Semirural Communities: A Non-Randomized Intervention Study

Objective: To determine the prevalence of alcohol consumption and the effectiveness of the alcohol, smoking, and substance involvement screening test ( ASSIST)-linked brief intervention on hazardous and harmful alcohol use in semirural settings in Nigeria. Methods: In this single arm non-randomized intervention study delivered by community health extension workers (CHEW), participants (N=1,203), 15years and older, recruited between October 2010 and April 2011 were assessed for prevalence of alcohol consumption and the associated level of risk. Scores of 0-10 were classified as lower risk scores, 11-26 as moderate risk, and 27+ as high risk. This was followed by a brief intervention. Prevalence of alcohol consumption and level of risk was assessed at 3 and 6 months postbrief intervention. Main outcome measure was the change in ASSIST scores at 3 and 6months postintervention. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of alcohol use at baseline compared with that at 6months,.2(2) = 4.2, p= 0.01. Among all respondents, a repeated measures ANOVA with a Greenhouse-Geisser correction showed that mean ASSIST score significantly reduced between time points [F(1.541, 34.092) = 53.241, p< 0.001]. Post hoc tests using the Bonferroni correction revealed that this difference was due to a significant reduction in the mean ASSIST scores at 3months vs. baseline, p= 0.001, but not at 3 vs. 6months, p= 0.09. Conclusion: There is a potential for CHEW-administered ASSIST-linked screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment for unhealthy alcohol use in Nigerian semirural communities.