PPRNet Practice Guidelines
Alcohol Use
Practice guideline:
Screening
for problem drinking and alcohol abuse with alcohol counseling for patients
with a diagnosis of problem drinking/alcohol abuse
The USPSTF recommends screening to detect problem
drinking for all adult and adolescent patients. Survey data from the National
Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) show that nearly
a third of all adults engage in risky drinking, some only
occasionally and others frequently. As a group, however, nearly one in four of
these risky drinkers already meets the criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence,
and the rest have substantially increased chances of developing these disorders.
Screening should involve a careful history of alcohol use and/or the use of standardized screening questionnaires. Additional information on how to implement screening in practice is discussed in the NIAAA reference below. A growing body of research shows that primary care practitioners can significantly reduce both problem drinking and its medical consequences by conducting brief interventions. The brief intervention involves expressing concern when drinking levels are too high and agreeing on an action plan.
Additional
resources:
USPSTF
Recommendation Statement
Helping Patients Who Drink Too Much. A Health Practitioner's Guide (NIAAA)
