Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7fkt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T21:22:15.887Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The point-prevalence of alcohol use disorders and binge drinking in an Irish general hospital

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Guy J Molyneux ,
Elizabeth Cryan  and
Elisa Dooley
Guy J Molyneux
Affiliation:
Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Liscarney House, Pearse Road, Sligo, Co Sligo, Ireland
Elizabeth Cryan
Affiliation:
Department of Adult Psychiatry, James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland
Elisa Dooley
Affiliation:
Department of Adult Psychiatry, James Connolly Memorial Hospital, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives: There is a paucity of data concerning the prevalence of alcohol use disorders and binge drinking in the general hospital adult population in Ireland. We therefore examined the point-prevalence of alcohol use disorders and of binge drinking in the adult inpatient population of the acute wards of an Irish university teaching hospital. The secondary aim was to examine gender, age, and patient group (medical/surgical) as risk factors.

Method: We administered the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) to all consenting patients (n = 126) on the acute adult medical and surgical wards over one day.

Results: 76% of all inpatients on the acute medical and surgical wards were interviewed (n = 126) using the AUDIT.

Of the subjects 28% screened positive for an alcohol use disorder. Of these 91% were identified as binge drinkers.

A further 8% of the subjects screened positive for binge drinking but were not identified as having an alcohol use disorder.

Overall, 36% of the subjects screened positive for either an alcohol use disorder and/or for binge drinking using the AUDIT.

Male gender and under 65s were risk factors for both alcohol use disorders and binge drinking.

Conclusions: The high point-prevalences of alcohol use disorders and binge drinking in hospital inpatients in particular are a cause for concern as they may have illness complicated by or secondary to undiagnosed alcohol excess. As this population is an easily accessible group for screening, and clinical and economic evidence supports intervention, we recommend screening all acute hospital admissions for alcohol use disorders and binge drinking, followed by appropriate management.

Keywords

AlcoholAlcohol dependenceAlcohol Use DisordersAlcoholismAUDITBinge drinkingHarmful drinkingHazardous drinkingHospitalInpatientsPrevalenceScreening.
Type
Brief Report
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 23 , Issue 1 , March 2006 , pp. 17 - 20
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. WHO. Health For All database, 2001.Google Scholar
2. FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations). World Drink Trends 2003.Google Scholar
3. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Second edition. World Health Organisation.Google Scholar
4. Strategic Task Force on Alcohol, Second Report. September 2004. Dublin, Ireland: Health Promotion Unit, Department of Health and Children, 2004.Google Scholar
5.Ramstedt, M, Hope, A. The Irish drinking habits of 2002: Drinking and drinking related harm, a European comparative perspective. Journal of Substance Use. In press.Google Scholar
6.Health Promotion Unit, Department of Health and Children and the Centre for Health Promotion Studies, National University of Ireland, Galway. Survey of lifestyle attitudes and nutrition (SLAN). In: The National Health and Lifestyle Surveys. Dublin, Ireland: Health Promotion Unit, Department of Health and Children, 2003.Google Scholar
7.Babor, Tet al.Alcohol: no ordinary commodity — research and public policy. World Health Organisation and Oxford University Press, 2003.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.Gilman, SE. A longitudinal study of the order of onset of alcohol dependence and major depression. Drug Alcohol Depend 2001; 63(3): 277–86.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.National Crime Council. Public Order Offences in Ireland. A report by the Institute of Criminology, Faculty of Law, University College Dublin for the National Crime Council, 2003.Google Scholar
10.Byrne, S. Updates on the estimates on the cost of alcohol problems in Ireland. Dublin, Ireland: Central Statistics Office Annual Reports, 2004.Google Scholar
11.Marshall, J. Annual meeting of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2004.Google Scholar
12.Royal College of Psychiatrists. The Psychological Care of Medical Patients: Recognition of Need and Service Provision. London: Tavistock, 1995.Google Scholar
13.Hearne, Ret al.Alcohol Abuse: prevalence and detection in a general hospital. J Royal Soc Med, 2002; 95:84–87.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14.Bohn, MJ, Babor, TF, Kranzler, HR. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT): validation of a screening instrument for use in medical settings. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 1995; 56: 423–32.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15.Piccinelli, M, Tessari, E, Bortolomasi, M, Piasere, O, Semenzin, M, Garzotto, N, Tansella, M. Efficacy of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test as a screening tool for hazardous alcohol intake and related disorders in primary care: a validity study. BMJ 1997;314:420–24.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16.Bergman, H, Källmen, H. Swedish women have developed more risky and more harmful alcohol drinking habits. A survey of alcohol drinking changes among Swedes between 1997 and 2001. Lakartidningen 2003; 100: 1028–30.Google Scholar
17.Jefferis, BJMH, Power, C, Manor, O. Adolescent drinking level and adult binge drinking in a national birth cohort. Addiction 2005; 100(4): 543–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18.Babor, T, Higgins-Biddle, JC. Alcohol screening and brief intervention: dissemination strategies for medical practice and public health. Addiction 2000; 85(5): 677–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19.Fleming, MF, Mundt, MO, French, MT, Manwell, LB, Stauffacher, EA, Barry, KL. Brief physician advice for problem drinkers: long-term efficacy and benefit-cost analysis. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 2002; 26: 36–43.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.Moyer, A, Finney, JW, Swearingen, CE, Vergun, P. Brief interventions for alcohol problems: a meta-analytic review of controlled investigations in treatment seeking and non-treatment seeking populations. Addiction 2002; 97(3): 279–93.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21. Developing and delivering world-class alcohol treatment services in Ireland. A response to the ‘Strategic Taskforce on Alcohol, Second Report’. Submission from the Faculty of Substance Misuse Of the Irish College of Psychiatrists; March 2005.Google Scholar