An insurer’s employee assistance program has tested the effectiveness of a systematic approach to identifying individuals who misuse alcohol.
EAP managers at the behavioral health arm of Aetna Inc., Hartford, worked with researchers from George Washington University to study a program based on routine EAP intake telephone screening interviews.
The study involved 300 employees at a large company.
Researchers found that about 40% appeared to be at risk for suffering from alcohol-related problems, and that 52% of the individuals with a “positive prescreen” had moderate-risk to high-risk behaviors.
About 80% of the individuals offered follow-up discussions agreed to participate in later discussions about their EAP services and needs, including their alcohol use, the researchers report.