Discussing alcohol and cancer with patients: Knowledge and practices of general practitioners in New South Wales and South Australia.
BACKGROUND
Alcohol is associated with several cancers; however, the Australian community has low awareness of the link between alcohol consumption and cancer. Little information exists regarding when and why general practitioners (GPs) discuss alcohol with patients.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this article is to explore GPs' attitudes and practices when discussing alcohol with patients. This includes awareness of alcohol recommendations and evidence of the alcohol-cancer link, and discussion around barriers and enablers to encouraging patients' alcohol behaviour change.


RESULTS
GPs did not routinely ask patients about their alcohol consumption or advise on drinking recommendations. Many had a broad understanding of alcohol as a cancer risk factor, but knowledge of the causal mechanisms and current evidence was limited.


CONCLUSIONS
GPs are trusted health advisers. Providing them with up-to-date evidence on the alcohol-cancer link and drinking recommendations may encourage routine patient screening of alcohol consumption and delivery of simple education on the harms of long-term drinking.
Lyndal
L
Wellard
Nadia
N
Corsini
Clare
C
Hughes
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology*; D020751:Alcohol-Induced Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000523:psychology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000523:psychology*; D009517:New South Wales; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D013021:South Australia; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires