Detection of alcohol consumption at the first level of care in Mexico during the COVID-19 pandemic/Deteccion del consumo de alcohol en el primer nivel de atencion en Mexico durante la pandemia de COVID-19/Deteccao do consumo de alcool no nivel da atencao primaria no Mexico durante a pandemia de COVID-19

Objective. To measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the implementation of a program for timely detection, brief intervention, and referral for treatment of alcohol consumption in health centers at the first level of care in Mexico City. Methods. The data were collected at 18 health centers in Mexico City between 2019 and 2021, as part of a larger study. A total of 287 participating health professionals measured their patients' alcohol consumption using the AUDIT-C test. The patients' demographic aspects and consumption patterns were analyzed, as well as care actions (detection, brief intervention, provision of leaflets, monitoring, and referral) at three points in time: before the COVID-19 pandemic, during confinement, and after confinement. Parametric and nonparametric tests were performed to identify the relationship and differences between the variables at the three points. Results. A total of 9090 people who consumed alcohol were identified; detection of consumption fluctuated in the three periods studied (26%, 53%, and 37%, respectively). Medium- and high-risk consumption was more frequent among young men with higher schooling during and after confinement. In the post-confinement period, monitoring and referral actions increased. Conclusions. Measuring the impact of the pandemic on the implementation of a program for timely detection of alcohol consumption, brief intervention, and referral for treatment in health centers helps to develop health policies by age, gender, schooling, and type of consumption at the first level of care. Keywords Alcohol drinking; brief intervention; health centers; primary health care; Mexico. Objetivo. Medir el efecto de la pandemia de COVID-19 en la implementacion de un programa de deteccion oportuna, intervencion breve y referencia para tratamiento por consumo de alcohol en centros de salud del primer nivel de atencion de la Ciudad de Mexico. Metodos. Se recopilaron los datos en 18 centros de salud de la Ciudad de Mexico entre 2019 y 2021, como parte de un estudio mas amplio. Participaron 287 profesionales de la salud, quienes midieron el consumo de alcohol de sus pacientes con la prueba AUDIT-C. Se analizaron aspectos demograficos y patrones de consumo de los pacientes, asi como las acciones de atencion (deteccion, intervencion breve, entrega de folletos, monitoreo y referencia) en tres momentos: antes de la pandemia de COVID-19, durante el confinamiento y luego del confinamiento. Se realizaron pruebas parametr