Hazardous drinkers in the accident and emergency department--who accepts advice?
OBJECTIVE
To identify factors that predict acceptance of brief advice among people consuming excessive alcohol in an accident and emergency (A&E) department.


METHODS
Patients presenting to an A&E department were screened using the Paddington Alcohol Test. All patients identified as hazardous drinkers were offered advice about their drinking. Data were collected on patients' age, sex, presenting condition, and alcohol consumption. Binary logistic regression was used to identify variables that predicted acceptance of the offer of advice.


RESULTS
The presenting condition, together with the total number of units consumed on a single occasion, predict the uptake of an offer of help.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients identified as hazardous drinkers who present after a fall, head injury, or other accident are less likely to accept help. Clinicians should emphasise the potential relation between alcohol consumption and health related consequences to encourage the uptake of advice for these patients.
Patton
R
R
Imperial College, London, UK. r.patton@iop.kcl.ac.uk <r.patton@iop.kcl.ac.uk>
Crawford
M
M
Touquet
R
R
D000058:Accidental Falls; D000059:Accidents; D000328:Adult; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000150:complications* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D003376:Counseling; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic
D000431:Ethanol