The Current State of Alcohol Screening and Management in Virginia Primary Care Practices: An Evaluation of Preventive Service Use

Med Clin North Am. 2023 Nov;107(6S):e1-e17. doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2023.07.001. Epub 2023 Aug 23.

Abstract

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening and behavioral counseling for adults over 18 years for unhealthy alcohol use. Recommended screening instruments include the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Concise and or Single Alcohol Screening Question. Behavioral counseling is feasible in primary care, taking on average 30 minutes. Baseline data for a practice facilitation trial demonstrated clinicians appropriately screened only 10.8% of patients and only identified 9.6% as having risky drinking. Yet, 24% of patients reported risky drinking on a survey, demonstrating the implementation gap of the USPSTF recommendation and opportunity to improve health.

Keywords: Alcohol-induced disorders; Counseling; Primary health care; Primary prevention; Referral and consultation; Screening.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Advisory Committees
  • Alcoholism* / diagnosis
  • Alcoholism* / prevention & control
  • Ethanol
  • Humans
  • Primary Health Care
  • Virginia

Substances

  • Ethanol