Brief interventions for hazardous drinkers delivered in primary care are equally effective in men and women

Background Despite the accumulated evidence on the efficacy of brief interventions in hazardous drinkers some ambiguity remains regarding their differential effectiveness by gender. Methods Meta-analysis of independent studies conducted in primary health care settings with a follow-up of 6-12 months which report results separately by gender. Two outcome measures were selected: the quantity of typical weekly alcohol consumption and the frequency of drinkers who reported consumption below hazardous levels after the intervention. Results Seven studies were included in the meta-analysis. The standardized effect sizes for the reduction of alcohol consumption were similar in men (d = - 0.2 5; 9 5%, CI = - 0.34 to -0.17) and women (d = - 0.26; 95% CI = - 0.38 to - 0.13). The odds ratios (OR) for the frequency of individuals who drank below harmful levels were also similar (four studies; OR for men=2.32; 95% CI=1.78-2.93; OR for women=2.31; 95% CI=1.60-3.17). The difference between genders was negligible. Conclusion Our results support the equality of outcomes among men and women achieved by brief interventions for hazardous alcohol consumption in primary care settings.