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Socioeconomic inequalities in the delivery of brief interventions for smoking and excessive drinking: findings from a cross-sectional household survey in England
- Source :
- BMJ Open
- Publication Year :
- 2019
- Publisher :
- BMJ Publishing Group, 2019.
-
Abstract
- ObjectivesBrief interventions (BI) for smoking and risky drinking are effective and cost-effective policy approaches to reducing alcohol harm currently used in primary care in England; however, little is known about their contribution to health inequalities. This paper aims to investigate whether self-reported receipt of BI is associated with socioeconomic position (SEP) and whether this differs for smoking or alcohol.DesignPopulation survey of 8978 smokers or risky drinkers in England aged 16+ taking part in the Alcohol and Smoking Toolkit Studies.MeasuresSurvey participants answered questions regarding whether they had received advice and support to cut down their drinking or smoking from a primary healthcare professional in the past 12 months as well as their SEP, demographic details, whether they smoke and their motivation to cut down their smoking and/or drinking. Respondents also completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Smokers were defined as those reporting any smoking in the past year. Risky drinkers were defined as those scoring eight or more on the AUDIT.ResultsAfter adjusting for demographic factors and patterns in smoking and drinking, BI delivery was highest in lower socioeconomic groups. Smokers in the lowest social grade had 30% (95% CI 5% to 61%) greater odds of reporting receipt of a BI than those in the highest grade. The relationship for risky drinking appeared stronger, with those in the lowest social grade having 111% (95% CI 27% to 252%) greater odds of reporting BI receipt than the highest grade. Rates of BI delivery were eight times greater among smokers than risky drinkers (48.3% vs 6.1%).ConclusionsCurrent delivery of BI for smoking and drinking in primary care in England may be contributing to a reduction in socioeconomic inequalities in health. This effect could be increased if intervention rates, particularly for drinking, were raised.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
medicine.medical_specialty
Adolescent
Alcohol Drinking
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Psychological intervention
Audit
smoking
Odds
03 medical and health sciences
primary care
Young Adult
0302 clinical medicine
brief interventions
Intervention (counseling)
Environmental health
medicine
Prevalence
Humans
030212 general & internal medicine
Socioeconomic status
Aged
Receipt
Family Characteristics
Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test
Primary Health Care
business.industry
alcohol
Public health
Research
General Medicine
health inequalities
Middle Aged
Cross-Sectional Studies
Logistic Models
England
Socioeconomic Factors
Female
Smoking Cessation
Public Health
Self Report
business
030217 neurology & neurosurgery
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20446055
- Volume :
- 9
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- BMJ Open
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....03ae531b58177e8006fdb29c266ab01f