Alcohol use screening low among binge drinkers
Healio
April 6, 2017
Analysis of national data indicated that in 2014, one in three binge drinkers was asked about alcohol use and one in six were advised by a clinician to reduce their alcohol use.
“Excessive and/or risky alcohol use resulted in $249 billion in economic costs in 2010 and more than 88,000 deaths in the United States every year from 2006 to 2010,” Lela R. McKnight-Eily, PhD, of the CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, and colleagues wrote. “It is associated with birth defects and disabilities (eg, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders), increases in chronic diseases (eg, heart disease and breast cancer), and injuries and violence (eg, motor vehicle crashes, suicide, and homicide). Since 2004, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has recommended alcohol misuse screening and brief counseling (also known as alcohol screening and brief intervention or ASBI) for adults aged at least 18 years and older.”
To determine the prevalence of individuals receiving ASBI, researchers analyzed 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from 17 states and Washington, D.C.
Overall, 77.7% of individuals reported being asked about alcohol use in person or by form; 68.8% reported being asked how much they drink; and 32.9% reported being asked about binge drinking.
Males (35%), individuals with less than a high school diploma (40.1%), and binge drinkers (36.8%) were more likely to report being asked about binge drinking.
Non-Hispanic whites and Asian/Pacific Islanders were asked about binge drinking less than non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanics and American Indian/Alaskan Natives.
Approximately 37.2% of binge drinkers reported being asked at least one alcohol use screening-related question and advised about harmful or risky drinking levels. Males (43.8% vs. 27.6%) and binge drinkers with disabilities (46.9% vs. 35.5%) were more likely to be asked.
Among binge drinkers asked about alcohol use, 18.1% were advised to reduce their drinking. Males (22.6%), American Indian/Alaskan Natives (33%), individuals with disabilities (30.1%), and those with less than a high school education (31.3%) who binge drank were more likely to be advised to reduce drinking.
Prevalence of binge drinkers asked at least one alcohol screening question and advised to reduce drinking was highest in Washington, D.C. (31%) and lowest in Minnesota (12%).
“Despite current policies that support the provision of ASBI, including recommendations for its use by the USPSTF and the related Affordable Care Act requirement that many health plans cover it, and availability of evidenced-based clinical and implementation guidelines, these data indicate that all elements of ASBI are not routinely implemented in clinical settings, especially screening as recommended and brief intervention for persons who are screened and found to drink excessively,” the researchers wrote. “Systems-level changes, such as including ASBI in electronic health records with appropriate prompts and screening tools, might facilitate implementation.” – by Amanda Oldt
McKnight-Eily LR, et al. MMWR. 2017;doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6612a1.