Identifying the gap between need and intervention for alcohol use disorders in Europe

A literature review of existing research on the prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and availability of

alcohol interventions in Europe was conducted. The review also explored what is known about the gap between need

and provision of alcohol interventions in Europe. Methods The review search strategy included: (i) descriptive studies

of alcohol intervention systems in Europe; (ii) studies of alcohol service provision in Europe; and (iii) studies of

prevalence of AUD and alcohol needs assessment in Europe. Results Europe has a relatively high level of alcohol

consumption and the resulting disabilities are the highest in the world. Most research on implementation of alcohol

interventions in Europe has been restricted to screening and brief interventions. Alcohol needs assessment methodology

has been developed but has not been applied in comparative studies across countries in Europe. Conclusions This

review points to key gaps in knowledge related to alcohol interventions in Europe. There is a lack of comparative data

on variations in alcohol treatment systems across European countries and there is also a lack of comparative data on

the prevalence of alcohol use disorders across European countries and the relative gap between need and access to

treatment. The forthcoming Alcohol Measures for Public Health Research Alliance (AMPHORA) research projectwork

package on ‘Early identification and treatment’ aims to address these gaps.