Addressing alcohol use among primary care patients

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Objectives: To determine whether rates of addressing alcohol use differed between family medicine and internal medicine residents, and to determine whether attitudes, confidence, and perceptions affected these relationships. Setting: Two university outpatient clinics, one staffed by family medicine and the other by primary care and categorical internal medicine residents. Design: Cross-sectional study of consecutive patients who had been followed by second- and third-year residents for at least one year. Measurements: Alcohol abuse was determined using the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST), with a score a 5 considered positive. Rates of addressing alcohol use in the preceding year were determined by patient report and chart review. Attitudes were assessed using the Substance Abuse Attitude Survey (SAAS). Results: 334 patients of 49 residents completed the MAST. Rates of alcoholism among the patient groups were: family medicine, 8.3%; primary care, 29.1%; and categorical medicine, 18.0% (pConclusion: Rates of addressing alcohol use differed for internal medicine and family medicine residents, but were not due to differences in resident perceptions and attitudes.