Alcohol SBI Research Conference

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Alcohol screening and brief intervention (SBI) is one of the most effective and cost-effective universally recommended preventive health services. Unhealthy alcohol use is common, and a leading cause of preventable death in the US. Despite clear evidence for efficacy, numerous research questions remain regarding alcohol SBI. Alcohol SBI researchers from diverse professional background have no forum in which to share research ideas and disseminate their work in the US. As a result, an Alcohol SBI Research conference is planned for Boston, MA, for September 23 - 24, 2011. This conference will host the 8th annual meeting of the International Network on Brief Interventions for Alcohol Problems (INEBRIA) for the first time in the US. INEBRIA is the only professional group focused on SBI research. INEBRIA's goals include sharing research findings in the area of alcohol brief interventions, to translate evidence for alcohol SBI into practice, to study and identify best SBI practices, to identify gaps and needs for research in the field of alcohol SBI, to promote international research cooperation, and to set standards for research in the field. INEBRIA aims to integrate the study of SBI within the wider context of measures to prevent and reduce alcohol related harm. The goal of the INEBRIA Alcohol SBI Research conference is to foster the development of, and to disseminate research relevant to alcohol screening and brief intervention, with a particular focus on implementation and sustainability. The conference will: 1. communicate and disseminate a) new findings about research questions that remain unanswered regarding alcohol SBI; b) the body of existing alcohol SBI research; and c) research methods and results relevant to alcohol SBI implementation and sustainability. 2. Increase collaboration among alcohol SBI researchers across the US and worldwide. 3. Engage junior researchers in alcohol SBI research with an outlet for their work and with mentoring opportunities. Conference planning committees have been convened. The 2 day meeting will include large group plenary sessions, research abstract presentations and workshops, and a poster session for research presentations. Abstracts will all be research on alcohol SBI, peer reviewed by the conference scientific committee. The following plenary topics have been proposed for the conference: what SBI research is needed, widespread implementation at Veterans Affairs medical centers, implementation and sustainability challenges and solutions, SBI effectiveness in different contexts, and essential and nonessential ingredients of SBI. The Alcohol SBI Research Conference will convene a diverse group of researchers in an epicenter of SBI research, Boston, Massachusetts, for two days of research presentations and discussion. The conference will result in sharing numerous cutting edge alcohol SBI research ideas and dissemination of these ideas worldwide, providing a unique opportunity to advance the field, and ultimately to improve the health of the public by addressing the ways to reduce unhealthy alcohol use through screening and brief intervention. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Approximately 30% of adults in the US have unhealthy alcohol use, which is a leading cause of preventable morbidity and death. Screening and brief intervention is an efficacious approach but its effects are modest, and it isn't widely disseminated. The proposed Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention Research Conference will provide a forum for leading researchers and practitioners to come together and share the latest research results and stimulate new research ideas to improve screening and brief intervention approaches for people with unhealthy alcohol use.