Alcohol Screening During US Primary Care Visits, 2014-2016

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Preventive Medicine
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Unhealthy alcohol use presents a significant public health challenge in the United States.
• The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends universal screening for unhealthy alcohol use in adults aged 18 and older during primary care encounters.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prevalence of alcohol screening during ambulatory primary care visits for US adults.
• To identify patient and visit characteristics associated with the utilization of alcohol screening.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional analysis of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) data from 2014 to 2016 was conducted.
• The study included 19,213 primary care visits for patients aged 18 years and older.
• Factors examined included patient demographics, reason for visit, visit length, chronic conditions, and physician relationship.

Main Results:

• Alcohol screening using a validated questionnaire was documented in only 2.6% of visits.
• Alcohol counseling was documented in 0.8% of visits.
• Screening was more likely for patients seen by their assigned primary care physician, new patients, and those with multiple chronic conditions.

Conclusions:

• Screening for unhealthy alcohol use via validated questionnaires is infrequently performed in US primary care settings.
• There is a need for interventions or incentives to enhance the adoption of USPSTF alcohol screening guidelines.