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4 brief intervention for medical practitioners and health care workers

STEP 1 IDENTIFY your patient's current level of alcohol consumption.
(Refer to page 11, standard drinks and the concept of listing the patient's intake as a number of drinks per day or per week.)
The NHMRC has developed the following guidelines for classifying low risk, hazardous and harmful use of alcohol (Pols and Hawks, 1992).

Standard drinks per day





    Low risk    Hazardous    Harmful


Male    <<=4 5-6>6


Female    <<=2 3-4>4

Standard drinks per week

Low risk Hazardous Harmful
Male <<=28 28-42>42
Female <<=14 14-28>28

STEP 2 HELP your patient weigh up the costs and benefits of continued drinking.

STEP 3 HELP the patient identify the benefits of their current level of drinking.

HELP identify the current risks and/or benefits.

STEP 4 STRESS the benefits of reduced alcohol intake, for example:

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