title: Alcohol use assessment in young adult cancer survivors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether oncology practitioners assess for alcohol consumption rates and usage patterns among young adult cancer survivors, and to determine drinking patterns and frequency of alcoholic beverage consumption among young adult cancer survivors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two outpatient cancer clinics.
  
  
  METHODS
  77 young adult survivors of childhood cancer aged 18-30 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Charts were selected from June to December 2009 and data were extracted using a structured questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  Oncology practitioner assessment of alcohol use and alcohol consumption of young adult cancer survivors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Alcohol screening was conducted for 48 participants. No significant differences were noted in most variables between those not screened for alcohol use and those screened for alcohol use. Of the 48 screened for alcohol use, 30 reported "no use." For the 18 who reported alcohol use, the terms used to describe the frequency varied and were vague.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The key finding of the study was that screening and documentation of alcohol consumption was poorly and inconsistently performed in the authors' sample of young adult cancer survivors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Similar to healthy young adults aged 18-30 years, young adult cancer survivors are at a developmental age where it is likely they will engage in unhealthy drinking; therefore, they should be screened for alcohol use and binge drinking. Practitioners can incorporate simple, short questions into health assessment visits that allow them to screen for unhealthy alcohol use.
authors.affiliation: Leukemia and Bone Marrow Transplant Program, University of Chicago in Illinois.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Breitenbach
authors.affiliation: Midwest Palliative and Hospice Care Center, Glenview, IL.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Epstein-Reeves
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago.
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hacker
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago.
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Corte
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago.
authors.forename: Mariann R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Piano
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D064829:Alcohol Abstinence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D063425:Binge Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002641:Chicago / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: alcohol consumption; screening; young adult cancer survivors