Results of screening for excessive drinkers in four Sydney teaching hospitals

In-patients from selected wards at four Sydney teaching hospitals were screened using a self-completed general health questionnaire. Screening was carried out between January 1990 and December 1991 as part of a larger study of brief interventions for excessive alcohol consumers detected in the general hospital setting. Comparison with other screening studies of excessive drinkers in hospitals is difficult, due to factors such as the different screening instruments used and the varying population targeted. However, similar trends among excessive drinkers were found, such as age and gender factors. The routine employment of simple screening instruments to detect excessive drinkers among hospital in-patients is once more urged.