Alcohol Consumption and Alcohol‐Related Problems: Prevalence amongst a General Practice Population

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Abstract
The prevalence of “at risk” levels of alcohol consumption and of alcohol‐related problems in a sample of general practice patients was examined. Consumption was measured using both Quantity Frequency (N = 2066) and retrospective diary (N = 808) measures. The two measures yielded similar results. The proportion of females drinking “at risk” levels (40 gms a day) ranged from 0.6% to 1.2% and between 4.1% and 5.8% of males were classified “at risk” (60gms/day). Using the SMAST to measure alcohol‐related problems, 8.6% of females and 12.1% of males were classified as “probable alcoholic”, while “possible alcoholism” was present in a further 15.1% of females and 20.1% of males. Only a weak relationship was found between being at physical risk on the basis of excessive consumption and being identified as having alcohol‐related problems by the SMAST. Logistic regression was used in an attempt to delineate predictors of alcohol‐related problems. Smoking status, alcohol consumption, age and report of skin problems entered the final model, but the prediction from this model was poor (X2 = 322.67, df = 204, p = 0.122). The results are discussed in terms of strategies for general practitioner detection and intervention with patients with alcohol‐related problems.