Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility Screening – Help With Drinking

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Screening

High-risk alcohol use and AUD are widespread issues. Alcohol is linked to more than 200 diseases and injuries, such as cancer, heart disease, liver disease, violence and car accidents.

In Canada:

  • 18% of people > 15 years met the clinical criteria for AUD during their lifetime.
  • 57% of people > 15 years currently drink more than 2 drinks/week, which is defined as “above low-risk” for negative health consequences in Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health (2023).

 

Primary care providers play a vital role in identifying and treating high-risk drinking and AUD. You can also help patients and families connect with specialized services and supportive resources in their communities.

 

When patients live in rural or under-resourced communities with limited access to health care resources, your role becomes even more critical as you may be one of only a few primary care providers available to provide screening, diagnosis, care planning and treatment.

Research has not clearly shown an optimal frequency for screening, but screening on a regular basis is recommended to detect alcohol problems early on. The Guideline committee suggests screening once a year can be feasible and practical.

Tips to start the conversation

Some patients may be hesitant to discuss their drinking with you. In particular, individuals who belong to underserved populations—such as Indigenous people and other people of colour, youth and those who identify as 2SLGBTQ+—may have had prior negative experiences with health care providers which left them feeling guarded and less likely to answer questions openly.

 

Here are some tips to initiate the conversation about alcohol with your patient and help them feel comfortable:

 

  • Seek consent before asking the patient about their drinking.
  • Let the patient know that what they share with you is confidential.
  • Use a non-judgmental and conversational tone to start the conversation.
    Ask open-ended questions.
  • Understand that gaining the patient’s trust may take more than a single visit.

Sample dialogue

 

“I talk to all my patients about alcohol and other substance use. Would it be alright for us to talk about this now?”

 

If yes:

“How does alcohol fit in your life?”

“What kind of relationship do you have with alcohol?”

“Do you sometimes drink wine, beer or other alcoholic beverages?”

The Public Health Agency of Canada has published a useful resource for Canadian health professionals titled Communicating About Substance Use in Compassionate, Safe and Non-Stigmatizing Ways (2020). This resource was developed through consultation with people with lived and living experience of substance use and their loved ones, health professional organizations, and other stakeholders in the Canadian health system.

download resource