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Screening for problem drinkers among medical inpatients
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
|December 1, 1982
Summary
A significant number of general medical patients have alcohol-related issues, with many cases newly identified. House physicians often underestimate the severity of alcohol dependence, highlighting a need for better screening methods.
Area of Science:
- Internal Medicine
- Addiction Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Alcohol-related problems are prevalent in general medical settings.
- Early identification and intervention are crucial for patient outcomes.
- Current screening practices by physicians may be insufficient.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of current alcohol-related problems and previous alcoholism treatment in general medical patients.
- To identify newly diagnosed cases of alcohol problems.
- To evaluate the accuracy of house physician assessments and the utility of laboratory markers for screening.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 275 adult patients (18-65 years) admitted to general medical wards.
- Data collection included patient history regarding alcohol consumption, dependence symptoms, and social problems.
- Analysis of the sensitivity of laboratory markers for screening alcohol-related issues.
Main Results:
- 19.3% of patients had a current alcohol-related problem or prior treatment.
- 13.2% were newly identified cases, with a higher incidence in men.
- Physician assessments often underestimated alcohol consumption, social issues, and dependence; laboratory markers lacked sufficient sensitivity for sole use.
Conclusions:
- Alcohol-related problems are common in general medical inpatients.
- Physician awareness and assessment of alcohol problems require improvement.
- Relying solely on laboratory markers or initial physician history is inadequate for screening alcohol-related disorders.