Prevalence of problem alcohol use among patients attending primary care for methadone treatment

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Problem alcohol use is associated with adverse health outcomes among current or former heroin users and primary care is providing methadone treatment for increasing numbers of this population. This study aimed todetermine the prevalence of problem alcohol use among current or former heroin users attending primary care for methadone treatment and to describe the socio-demographic characteristics and health service utilisation characteristics associated with problem alcohol uses.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a cross sectional survey of patients sampled from a national database of patients attending general practice for methadone treatment. Participants were recruited by their general practitioner and data was collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire, which included the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test ('AUDIT'), with a score of >7 considered abnormal (ie 'AUDIT positive cases') and socio-demographic, medical and substance use characteristics.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We interviewed 196 patients (71% of those invited, 31% of those sampled, 11% of the national database). The median age was 32 years, 55% were hepatitis C positive, 79% had used illicit drugs in the previous month and 68% were male. Sixty-eight 'AUDIT positive' cases were identified (prevalence of 35%, 95% CI = 28–41%) and these were more likely to have attended a local Emergency Department in the previous year (p < 0.05) and less likely to have attended a hospital clinic in the previous year (p < 0.05). Twenty-seven (14%) scored 20 or higher indicating possible alcohol dependence.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Problem alcohol use has a high prevalence among current or former heroin users attending primary care for methadone treatment and interventions that address this issue should be explored as a priority. Interventions that address problem alcohol use in this population should be considered as a priority, although the complex medical and psychological needs of this population may make this challenging.</p

Reducing alcohol - related harm in Irish colleges: a qualitative evaluation of the College Alcohol Policy Initiative.

This report presents the summarised findings of a qualitative, process evaluation of the college alcohol policy initiative, carried out in 2004 with a view to examining ongoing progress on the part of third-level colleges in their attempts to institute effective alcohol policies. A comprehensive review of the research and policy literature on college alcohol policies was carried out so as to provide a wider context for this Irish initiative, and the following specific methodologies were then used in conducting this evaluation: • content analysis of policy documents drafted in participating colleges; • focus group discussions with college staff who had played a key role in drafting and implementing their own institution's alcohol policy; • individual interviews with stakeholders representing student interests and a representative of the drinks industry; • case studies of three different colleges and their alcohol policies which were intended to reflect the spectrum of college experiences in this sphere. The findings from the focus group clearly indicate that the drinks industry had been promoting its products on campus in an irresponsible manner. The authors conclude that the colleges have not achieved the type of policy mixed required by a successful harm reduction approach to alcohol consumption They recommend that colleges themselves, not just the student services sector should take responsibility for alcohol policies