title: Prevalence and routine assessment of unhealthy alcohol use in hospitalized patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of alcohol misuse among medical inpatients and the methods used by medical staff to evaluate alcohol consumption.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multicenter, prospective, observational, cross-sectional study performed at 21 hospitals in Spain. All adult patients hospitalized in internal medicine wards on 12 March 2008 were eligible for study. Alcohol consumption was evaluated with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C and AUDIT) and the Systematic Inventory of Alcohol Consumption questionnaire. Drinking patterns were determined according to clinical evaluation using ICD-10 criteria. Medical records were reviewed to gather information on the recording of alcohol use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We assessed 1039 inpatients, of whom 123 (12%) had unhealthy alcohol drinking patterns. Alcohol misuse was more frequent among males (odds ratio 5.20), younger patients (odds ratio, 14.17), median age patients (odds ratio, 2.99), and South Region (odds ratio, 1.77). Alcohol use during hospitalization was recorded in 603 inpatients (59%); quantitative records were performed in 28% of hazardous and harmful drinkers and in 41% of dependent patients. Lack of alcohol use recording was more frequent among females (odds ratio 1.73), median and older age groups (odds ratios 1.44 and 1.73, respectively), Northwest Regions (odds ratios 3.46). Patients from the East Region (odds ratio 0.47) had more frequently assessed the question in their medical records.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prevalence of alcohol misuse was higher in hospitalized patients than in the general population. Adequate quantitative recording was infrequent. We stress the need to implement measures to increase and improve the detection and recording of alcohol use.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge, Feixa Llarga s/n., L'Hospitatel de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. broson@bellvitgehospital.cat
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rosón
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Monte
authors.forename: Rocío
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gamallo
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Puerta
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zapatero
authors.forename: Joaquín
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fernández-Solá
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pastor
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Girón
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008487:Medical History Taking; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology