Alcohol use in the elderly: beyond the CAGE. Part 2: Screening instruments and treatment strategies

Recognition of the prevalence of alcohol problems in older patients has led researchers to develop and standardize screening instruments specifically intended for use in the elderly. While the CAGE questionnaire is the most commonly used screening instrument for alcohol use disorders, its usefulness in the geriatric patient has been questioned. Other tools, such as the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Michigan Alcohol Screening Test-Geriatric Version (MAST-G), and the Alcohol-Related Problems Survey (ARPS) may have additional use in this population. Brief interventions have been shown to be effective in producing sustained abstinence or reducing levels of consumption, thereby decreasing hazardous and harmful drinking. Clinicians may identify specific changes in the medical management of the individual that will reduce risk regardless of drinking behavior.