The implementation of early interventions stands out as an interesting approach to reduce harmful use of alcohol by focusing on the early recognition, diagnosis, and treatment across the full trajectory of alcohol use before more severe consequences occur. This chapter provides a brief overview of the literature on early intervention in harmful use of alcohol in Brazil—the largest middle-income country in Latin America, where alcohol use represents a significant burden. Though the scenario is rather worrisome, advances have been made in the past years: more research has been developed and public policies have been carried out to reduce such a burden. Early interventions focused on young people (underage and college students) should be given primarily, with a particularly growing concern on girls. There is robust evidence that screening and brief interventions (SBIs) can, in the short term, reduce problems related to alcohol use, at lower costs than more intensive treatments worldwide. In Brazil, the barriers for its implementation in primary care services seem to be related to integration and intersectional healthcare settings, and to training of professionals, the latter of which could initially be tackled through distance-learning approaches. Further research is still necessary to develop and evaluate SBI approaches addressing vulnerable populations. Finally, the reduction of harmful alcohol-use related consequences requires the joint effort of civil society, government, and the private sector, with special engagement of public health and research institutes to consolidate evidence-based strategies and measures.
Systematic Review of Guidelines on Managing Patients with Harmful Use of Alcohol in Primary Healthcare Settings