title: The illness burden of alcohol-related disorders among VA patients: the veterans health study.
abstract: Little is known about the illness burden associated with alcohol-related disorders (ie, problem drinking, alcohol abuse, and alcohol dependence) among patients in outpatient medical care. The objective of this study was to examine several aspects of illness burden-medical comorbidities, patterns of health services use, and functional status-among Veterans Health Administration (VA) ambulatory care patients with alcohol-related disorders. Male participants (N = 2425) were recruited at 1 of 4 Boston-area VA outpatient clinics. They completed self-report screening measures of current alcohol-related disorders (CAGE score > or =2 with past year alcohol consumption), health behaviors, medical comorbidities, and functional status (SF-36). A medical history interview, which assessed comorbid conditions and use of recent health services, was also administered. Screening criteria for current alcohol-related disorders were satisfied by 12%; however, only 40% of these reported ever receiving treatment specifically for alcohol-related disorders. Patients who screened positive for alcohol-related disorders reported significantly greater limitations in mental health function, longer hospitalizations for medical care in the prior year, and fewer outpatient medical visits in the previous 3 months. Findings suggest considerable illness burden associated with alcohol-related disorders among VA ambulatory care patients. Efforts to increase detection and treatment of alcohol-related disorders may lessen the illness burden and cost of alcohol-related disorders.
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine and Birmingham VAMC, Tuscaloosa, AL 35404, USA. Dorcas.Mansell@med.va.gov
authors.forename: Dorcas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mansell
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Penk
authors.forename: Cheryl S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Hankin
authors.forename: Austin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Avron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spiro
authors.forename: Katherine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.forename: Juling
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Lewis E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Kazis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs