Primary health care professionals' activity in intervening in patients' alcohol drinking: a patient perspective.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that primary health care professionals' activity in intervening in patients' alcohol drinking is low.


METHODS
A patient questionnaire survey after consultation blind to the primary health care professionals. Subjects were 1000 16-65 -year-old consecutive patients consulting a general practitioner. The response rate was 66.5%.


RESULTS
Of all participants 6.3% and of excessive drinkers 11.9% were asked about alcohol drinking at the consultation in question. Of all 64.7% and of excessive drinkers 52.4% had never been asked about drinking. Of all 6.0% and of excessive drinkers 19.0% were advised about alcohol drinking at the consultation in question.


CONCLUSIONS
Alcohol drinking is rarely brought up in discussion by primary health care professionals, even in the case of excessive drinkers.
Aalto
Mauri
M
Department of Psychiatry, Tampere University Hospital, P.O. Box 2000, FIN-33521, Tampere, Finland. maalto@tays.fi
Pekuri
Petteri
P
Seppa
Kaija
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010819:Physician's Role / Q000523:psychology; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires