This is a summary of scoping review to examine the current state of evidence on the effectiveness of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral Treatment (SBIRT) protocols for substance abuse and problem gambling. SBIRT is a single-session protocol where a clinician screens the patient for the risky behaviour, and if the patient scores positive on the screen, then the clinician provides a brief intervention. At the end of the session, the clinician gives the patient a referral for further treatment, if necessary.
The authors searched multiple academic databases for related articles and found 59 studies. The authors found that brief interventions as part of an SBIRT protocol were generally effective in reducing alcohol use, but limited evidence showed that it was effective in reducing drug use. Regarding problem gambling, few studies specifically evaluated brief interventions as part of an SBIRT protocol, but evaluations of brief interventions for problem gambling outside of SBIRT have shown positive outcomes. These findings are sufficient to justify investigating the therapeutic benefit of brief interventions for problem gambling within formal SBIRT protocols.
