title: Screening for alcohol problems in primary care.
abstract: Alcohol problems are common among patients seen in primary care settings, yet they are often missed by physicians. This article offers a model for alcohol screening designed to facilitate early identification of alcohol problems. This approach emphasizes the heterogeneity of alcohol problems and looks at alcohol use along a spectrum, with different risks depending on where in the spectrum a patient falls. The authors provide practical suggestions on integrating alcohol screening and early intervention into routine care.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Isaacson
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Schorling
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000465:Algorithms; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D011320:Primary Health Care; D018570:Risk Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States