How accurately do general practitioners detect concurrent tobacco use and risky alcohol consumption? A cross-sectional study in Australian general practice

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 378
Author(s):  
Jamie Bryant ◽  
Breanne Hobden ◽  
Kristy Forshaw ◽  
Christopher Oldmeadow ◽  
Justin Walsh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Tobacco Use ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Preventative Health ◽  
Risky Alcohol ◽  
Risky Alcohol Consumption

The negative health consequences of tobacco and risky alcohol consumption are compounded when used concurrently. Australian preventative health guidelines recommend that general practitioners (GPs) assess and provide evidence-based intervention. No studies, however, have examined the accuracy of GP detection of concurrent tobacco use and risky alcohol consumption or the factors associated with accurate detection. This study aimed to examine the: (i) accuracy of GP detection of concurrent tobacco and risky alcohol use compared to patient self-report; and (ii) GP and patient characteristics associated with accurate detection following a single clinical encounter. Patients attending 12 Australian general practices completed a survey assessing smoking and alcohol consumption. For each participating patient, GPs completed a checklist to indicate the presence of these risk factors. GP judgements were compared to patient self-report. Fifty-one GPs completed a health risk checklist for 1332 patients. Only 23% of patients who self-reported concurrent tobacco and risky alcohol use identified by their GP. Patients who visited their GP four to six times in the last year were most likely to have concurrent tobacco and risky alcohol use were identified. It is imperative to establish systems to increase detection of preventative health risks in general practice to enable the provision of evidence-based treatments.

Prevalence and characteristics associated with concurrent smoking and alcohol misuse within Australian general practice patients

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 125
Author(s):  
Breanne Hobden ◽  
Jamie Bryant ◽  
Kristy Forshaw ◽  
Christopher Oldmeadow ◽  
Tiffany-Jane Evans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Alcohol Misuse ◽  
Smoking Status ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Australian General Practice ◽  
Different Levels

Objectives This study sought to determine, among a large sample of Australian general practice patients: (1) the prevalence of smoking among different levels of alcohol misuse; and (2) whether the associations between demographic characteristics and alcohol use differ according to smoking status. Methods A cross-sectional survey was administered from 2010 to 2011 to 3559 patients from 12 Australian urban general practices. Patients reported their demographic details, smoking status and their alcohol intake. Results The overall prevalence of reported concurrent smoking and alcohol misuse was 7.8%. Smokers were 3.81-fold more likely to have a higher level of alcohol consumption than non-smokers (95% confidence interval 3.13–4.63; P<0.0001). There was evidence that smoking was an effect modifier of the relationship between alcohol misuse and chronic illness. Conclusions There was an increasing prevalence of smoking with increasing level of alcohol consumption. In addition, those with chronic conditions who smoked had greater odds of higher levels of alcohol consumption. Preventative interventions for these substances are needed to reduce the burden associated with concurrent smoking and alcohol misuse. What is known about the topic? Tobacco and alcohol are the most commonly used substances and contribute to over 10million deaths annually. The risk of disease is high when using either of these substances, however, concurrent use is associated with a greatly compounded risk. Australian data is limited regarding the prevalence of concurrent tobacco and alcohol misuse, however, international studies suggest variation in prevalence rates between different clinical settings. What does this paper add? This study examined the prevalence of concurrent smoking and alcohol misuse among different levels of alcohol misuse severity within an Australian general practice setting. Additionally it explored whether the associations between demographic characteristics and alcohol use differ according to smoking status. What are the implications for practitioners? This study has important implications for disease prevention and the delivery of preventive health services by general practitioners. Considering one in 100 clinical treatments provided in general practice relate to preventative smoking or alcohol counselling, it is critical that efforts are made to ascertain risk factors such as smoking and alcohol misuse to increase treatment rates. General practitioners should consider screening for smoking and alcohol misuse opportunistically during routine clinical encounters, as well as screening for smoking or alcohol misuse if one or the other is present.

scholarly journals A Health Technician-delivered Brief Intervention linked to AUDIT for reduction of alcohol use in Chilean primary care: a randomized controlled trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas A. Barticevic ◽  
Fernando Poblete ◽  
Soledad M. Zuzulich ◽  
Victoria Rodriguez ◽  
Diego Quevedo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Risky Alcohol ◽  
Risky Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Audit Score

Abstract Background Because of the shortage of health professionals in Chilean primary care, Health Technicians (HT) are providing Brief Interventions (BI) for risky alcohol consumption. We compared the efficacy of two AUDIT-linked interventions provided by HTs: an informative leaflet and a BI plus leaflet. Methods This is a parallel-group randomized controlled trial with 1:1 randomization. Participants were identified through screening with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) at five primary care centers between March 2016 and July 2017. People older than 18 years at intermediate-risk (AUDIT score 8 to 15, inclusive) were randomized to receive either an HT-delivered BI (n = 174) or an informative leaflet (n = 168). Only data from participants (n = 294) who completed the 6-month assessment were analyzed. The leaflet was delivered without further advice. It contains alcohol consumption limits, a change planner, and strategies to decrease drinking. The BI was a 5-min discussion on the leaflet´s content plus normative feedback, tailored information on alcohol and health, and a change plan. The change in the AUDIT risk category six months after randomization (primary outcome) was compared among groups with a Chi-squared test. Changes in the secondary outcomes, which were scores on the AUDIT and the AUDIT´s consumption items (AUDIT-C), were compared with T-tests. Mixed-effects linear models adjusted for potential confounders. Outcome adjudicators were blinded to group assignment. Results At 6-month follow-up, low-risk alcohol consumption was observed in 119 (80%) participants in the BI group, and in 103 (71%) in the leaflet group, with no difference among groups ($$\chi 2$$ χ 2 [1, N = 294] = 2.6, p = 0.1; adjusted odds ratio 0.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.34, 1.05). The mean AUDIT score decreased by 5.76 points in the BI group, and by 5.07 in the leaflet group, which represents a 0.86 AUDIT point reduction attributable to the BI (secondary outcome) (T = 2.03, p = 0.043; adjusted mean difference 0.86 CI 0.06, 1.66). Conclusions The AUDIT-linked BI delivered by HTs was not associated with a greater reduction of risky alcohol consumption than an informative leaflet. Delivering a leaflet could be more efficient than a BI when provided by HTs; however, more research on the effectiveness of the leaflet is needed. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02642757 (December 30, 2015) https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02642757.

scholarly journals Risky alcohol consumption, dependency symptoms and minority stress in sexual minority young people

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
D Demant ◽  
B Saliba
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Young People ◽  
Binge Drinking ◽  
Sexual Minority ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Risky Alcohol ◽  
Risky Alcohol Consumption

Abstract Background Sexual Minority Young People (SMYP) use alcohol, tobacco and other drugs at disproportionate levels when compared to their heterosexual counterparts. Limited research has been conducted on dependency symptoms in this population as well as correlations between risky use of alcohol and minority stress including potential differences between identity subgroups. Methods A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 1,556 SMYPs (mean age: 22.6 years) from Australia. Variables include demographics, alcohol use, dependency symptoms and different dimensions of minority stress. Descriptive and correlational analyses, and binary logistic regressions were conducted. Results Most participants surveyed identified as gay or lesbian (59%) and as men (55%). Regular binge drinking (43%), as well as general high-risk alcohol use (52%), was prevalent in the sample. Dependency symptoms were also common in the sample including health, social, legal or financial problems as a result of alcohol consumption (17%). Meaningful differences in consumption and symptoms between subgroups were identified. Minority stress, including negative family reactions and homophobic harassment were significantly correlated with higher alcohol use and dependency symptoms. Conclusions High-risk alcohol consumption including binge drinking as well as dependency symptoms are highly prevalent in Australian SMYP but are not distributed equally across subgroups. Public health initiatives should consider targeting SMYP subgroups and concentrate on the role of alcohol as a potential maladaptive coping mechanism for minority stress. Key messages Risky alcohol consumption and dependency symptoms common in sexual minority young people but not equally distributed in subgroups. Minority stress likely to be linked to risky alcohol consumption and dependency symptoms.

Drunkorexia: Disordered eating behaviors and risky alcohol consumption among adolescents

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (13-14) ◽  
pp. 2222-2232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Pompili ◽  
Fiorenzo Laghi
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Disordered Eating ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Drinking Patterns ◽  
Disordered Eating Behaviors ◽  
Eating Disorder Symptoms ◽  
Unhealthy Eating ◽  
Risky Alcohol ◽  
Risky Alcohol Consumption

The first goal of our study was to examine the differences on disordered eating and alcohol consumption among heavy, occasional restrictors, and non-restrictors in a sample of 823 adolescents. The second goal was to analyze the relation of drunkorexia between unhealthy eating and alcohol use. Our results showed that heavy restrictors reported more eating disorder symptoms and alcohol use than occasional restrictors and non-restrictors. Similarly, occasional restrictors showed more unhealthy eating and drinking behaviors than non-restrictors. Both disordered eating and alcohol use were significant predictors of drunkorexia, supporting the argument of drunkorexia as an overlapping of dysfunctional eating and drinking patterns.

Abstract 12385: Past Alcohol Consumption and Incident Atrial Fibrillation

Circulation ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 132 (suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shalini Dixit ◽  
Alvaro Alonso ◽  
Elsayed Z Soliman ◽  
Lin Y Chen ◽  
Gregory M Marcus
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Dietary Intake Assessment ◽  
Aric Study

Introduction: Although current alcohol consumption appears to be a risk factor for incident atrial fibrillation (AF), limitations related to self-reported alcohol use and confounding in observational studies limit the certainty of conclusions regarding causality. Whether cessation of alcohol consumption can protect against incident AF remains unknown. Methods: We examined all participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, a population-based cohort of 15,792 men and women aged 45-65, without prevalent AF. Past alcohol consumption was assessed via self-report during the baseline dietary intake assessment. Cases of incident AF were ascertained via study ECGs, hospital discharge ICD-9 codes, and death certificates. Results: Among 15,262 participants with complete survey data, 2,898 (19.0%) were former drinkers. During an average follow-up of 17.4 years, there were 380 cases of incident AF in former consumers. Both before and after adjustment for potential confounders, a longer duration of alcohol abstinence was associated with a lower risk of developing AF; previously consuming alcohol for a longer duration and consuming a greater quantity of alcohol were each associated with a higher risk of developing AF (Table). Conclusions: Among former drinkers, the number of years of drinking and the amount of alcohol consumed may each confer an increased risk of AF. Given that a longer duration of abstinence was associated with a decreased risk of AF, modification of alcohol use could potentially play a role in AF prevention.

scholarly journals Satisfaction With Life, Mental Health Problems and Potential Alcohol-Related Problems Among Norwegian University Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pia Jensen ◽  
Ellen Haug ◽  
Børge Sivertsen ◽  
Jens Christoffer Skogen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Satisfaction With Life ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Harmful Alcohol ◽  
Risky Alcohol ◽  
Alcohol Related Problems

Objective: Recent studies have shown that today's college students more than ever are struggling with mental health and alcohol problems. While poor satisfaction with life and mental health problems have been linked to higher alcohol consumption, there is still a lack of studies examining in detail the shape and nature of the relationship between mental health and alcohol consumption.Aim: To investigate the associations between satisfaction with life, mental health problems and potential alcohol-related problems among Norwegian university students. The shape of the associations was also examined.Methods: Data were drawn from a 2018 national survey of students in higher education in Norway (the SHoT-study). Associations between satisfaction with life, mental health problems and potential alcohol-related problems (AUDIT; risky and harmful alcohol use) were investigated using logistic regression. Both crude models and models adjusted for age, gender and marital status were conducted. To investigate the shape of the associations, logistic regression with quadric and cubic terms was tested.Results: Decreased satisfaction with life and increased mental health problems were associated with potential alcohol-related problems. For satisfaction with life, a curvilinear association with risky alcohol use and a linear association with harmful alcohol use was identified. For mental health problems, curvilinear associations were found for both risky and harmful alcohol use.Conclusion: Many students report potential alcohol-related problems. Students with harmful alcohol use seem to be more at risk of reduced satisfaction with life and increased mental health problems than students with risky alcohol use. Educational institutions may be an ideal setting for raising awareness of mental health issues and responsible alcohol consumption among students. The present study contributes with important information about the shape of the associations between satisfaction with life, mental health problems and potential alcohol-related problems in the student population.

scholarly journals Risky Alcohol Consumption and Associated Health Behaviour Among HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative Patients in a UK Sexual Health and HIV Clinic: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 1717-1726 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmi Suonpera ◽  
Rebecca Matthews ◽  
Ana Milinkovic ◽  
Alejandro Arenas-Pinto
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
Questionnaire Study ◽  
Hiv Positive ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Problematic Drug ◽  
Risky Alcohol ◽  
Risky Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Hiv Negative

Abstract Alcohol misuse has been associated with negative consequences among HIV-positive patients. Data on real prevalence of risky alcohol consumption among the HIV-positive population in the UK are lacking. A cross-sectional questionnaire study using standardised validated instruments among HIV-positive (n = 227) and HIV-negative (n = 69) patients was performed. The prevalence of risky alcohol consumption (AUDIT) and associations with depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), problematic drug use (DUDIT), adherence to ART (CASE Adherence Index), sexual behaviour and demographic characteristics were assessed among both patient groups independently. A quarter (25.1%) of HIV-positive patients and 36.1% of HIV-negative patients reported risky alcohol consumption (AUDIT-score ≥ 8). In the multivariable analysis among HIV-positive patients depressive symptoms (p = 0.03) and problematic drug use (p = 0.007) were associated with risky alcohol consumption. Among HIV-negative patients these associations were not present. Risky alcohol consumption among HIV-positive patients is prevalent, and together with depressive symptoms and problematic drug use, may influence HIV-disease progression and patients’ wellbeing.

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