Severity of unhealthy alcohol consumption in medical inpatients and the general population: is the general hospital a suitable place for brief interventions?
OBJECTIVE
Evidence for brief interventions in general hospital (GH) settings is scarce, probably due to higher rates of dependent drinkers. The present study aims to compare unhealthy drinking patterns in GH patients with the general population (GP).


METHODS
Sample 1 consisted of 4,075 individuals randomly drawn from registration office files, representing the non-institutionalised GP of a northern mixed rural-urban German area. Sample 2 consisted of 2,949 consecutively admitted patients from a GH covering the same area.


RESULTS
Compared to individuals from the GP, GH patients revealed higher prevalence rates of alcohol dependence (1.3 vs. 5.5%) and alcohol abuse (1.2 vs. 2.8%), but did not differ significantly concerning at-risk drinking (5.1 vs. 6.2%). Multinomial logistic regression analysis controlling for age, sex and smoking using unrisky alcohol consumption as reference category belonging to the GH group was predictive for alcohol use disorders but not for at-risk drinking.


CONCLUSIONS
Data show that a substantial number of individuals with unhealthy drinking patterns without alcohol use disorders can easily be accessed in GH settings if appropriate screening measures are conducted.
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Research Group Substance Abuse: Treatment, Epidemiology and Prevention, University of Luebeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538, Lübeck, Germany. gallus.bischof@psychiatrie.uk-sh.de
Gallus
G
Bischof
Susa
S
Reinhardt
Jennis
J
Freyer-Adam
Beate
B
Coder
Janina M
JM
Grothues
Christian
C
Meyer
Ulrich
U
John
Hans-Jürgen
HJ
Rumpf
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D055815:Young Adult