Formative Assessment of Factors Influencing Implementation of Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention for HIV Outpatient Services in Viet Nam.

BackgroundAlcohol screening and brief intervention (SBI) is not routinely integrated into HIV outpatient care in Viet Nam. This study aimed to identify anticipated barriers and facilitators at the pre-implementation stage of alcohol SBI intervention in a HIV outpatient clinic (OPC) in Viet Nam.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative formative assessment guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). In-depth interviews were conducted from August to November 2025 with purposively selected managers, healthcare workers, and patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) at Cam Pha Regional General Hospital OPC. Data were analyzed using an abductive approach combining deductive CFIR-based coding and inductive thematic analysis.ResultsParticipants perceived standardized screening, integration into routine ART visits, supportive Ministry of Health (MOH) and Department of Health (DOH) direction, interorganizational coordination, trust in healthcare providers, and stakeholder motivation as potential facilitators. Anticipated barriers included staff time and workload, limited funding and materials, insufficient training and technical guidance, sociocultural norms supporting alcohol use, concerns about stigma and inaccurate self-reporting, and uneven readiness for digital tools.ConclusionParticipants identified multilevel conditions that may shape future SBI implementation. Proposed responses included policy direction, competency-based training, dedicated resources, and workflow adaptations.