TY - JOUR PY - 2013// TI - The Grog Mob: lessons from an evaluation of a multi-disciplinary alcohol intervention for Aboriginal clients JO - Australian and New Zealand journal of public health A1 - d'Abbs, Peter A1 - Togni, Samantha A1 - Rosewarne, Clive A1 - Boffa, John SP - 450 EP - 456 VL - 37 IS - 5 N2 - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate a 12-month trial of an evidence-based non-residential treatment program for Indigenous clients with alcohol problems, offering three streams of care: pharmacotherapy, psychological and social support. METHODS: Process evaluation of program implementation; outcome evaluation of client outcomes. RESULTS: Implementation: despite constraints of time and remoteness, the trial demonstrated the feasibility of implementing such a program. The medical stream generated fewer pharmacotherapy prescriptions than expected. The most active stream was the psychological therapy stream. Outcomes: between March 2008 and April 2009, 129 clients were referred to the program, of whom 49 consented to have de-identified data used for the evaluation. Of these, 19 clients received one or more streams of care, 15 of whom (78.9%) subsequently stopped or reduced drinking. However, among the remaining 30 consenting clients who had not received an intervention, 70.0% also reported stopping or reducing drinking. The evidence of program effectiveness is therefore equivocal and evaluation over a longer period is required. Conclusion and implications: The trial demonstrated the viability of, and demand for, evidence-based non-residential treatment for Indigenous clients with alcohol problems. Reasons behind an apparent reluctance among GPs to prescribe pharmacotherapy for Indigenous clients, and steps to overcome this, need further attention.
Language: en
LA - en SN - 1326-0200 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12122 ID - ref1 ER -