Types and Effectiveness of Community-Based Cardiovascular Disease Preventive Interventions in Reducing Alcohol Consumption: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

TL;DR

This study reviews community-based interventions that reduce alcohol consumption to help prevent cardiovascular disease, finding that multi-component programs lasting at least a year are most effective.

Contribution

The paper provides a systematic review and meta-analysis of community-based interventions for reducing alcohol consumption to prevent CVD.

Findings

Multi-component interventions lasting 12 months or more were notably effective in reducing alcohol consumption.

Meta-analysis showed a significant reduction in above moderate-level alcohol consumption and increased odds of low-risk drinking.

Twenty-two studies were reviewed, with 16 showing that community-based interventions reduced alcohol consumption compared to controls.

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) poses a global health challenge, with modifiable risk factors, notably alcohol consumption, impacting its onset and progression. This review synthesizes evidence on the types and effectiveness of community-based interventions (CBIs) aimed at reducing alcohol consumption for CVD prevention. Electronic databases were systematically searched until October 31, 2019, with updates until February 28, 2023. Given the heterogeneity in outcome measures, we narratively synthesized the effectiveness of CBIs, adhering to the synthesis without meta-analysis (SWiM) guidelines for transparent reporting. For selected homogenous studies, a random-effects meta-analysis was utilized to estimate the effects of CBIs on alcohol consumption. Twenty-two eligible studies were included, with 16 demonstrating that CBIs reduced alcohol consumption compared to controls. Meta-analysis findings revealed reductions in above moderate-level alcohol consumption (pooled odds ratio (OR)=0.50, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.37, 0.68), number of alcohol drinks per week (standardized mean difference=-0.08, 95% CI: -0.14, -0.03), and increased odds of low-risk drinking (pooled OR=1.99, 95% CI: 1.04, 3.81) compared to the control groups. Multi-component interventions (particularly those combining health education, awareness, and promotion activities) and those interventions with a duration of 12 months or more were notably effective. The beneficial effects of CBIs focusing on achieving a reduction in alcohol consumption showed promising outcomes. Implementing such interventions, especially multicomponent interventions, could play a significant role in mitigating the increasing burden of CVDs. Future studies should also consider employing standardized and validated tools to measure alcohol consumption outcomes to enhance the consistency and comparability of findings.

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