Early at-risk alcohol intake. Definitions and physicians' role in modifying behaviour.

OBJECTIVE

To learn from a sample of general practitioners and their patients how they define early at-risk alcohol intake and what they perceive the physician's role in helping patients with early at-risk alcohol intake to be.

DESIGN

Survey questionnaire.

SETTING

Family practices in Kamloops, BC, and the Department of Family Practice at Vancouver General Hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Thirty-one family physicians and 860 of their patients.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Demographic variables and definitions of alcohol intake, opinions on appropriate interventions for physicians.

RESULTS

Patients' median estimate for the limit of early, at-risk drinking for a 75-kg man was two drinks per day an 11 drinks per week; doctors' estimate was 1.5 drinks per day and nine drinks per week. For a 55-kg woman, patients set risk to begin at 1.5 drinks per day and nine drinks per week; doctors set it at 1.2 per day and eight per week. However, patients thought there should be 4.3 alcohol-free days each week and doctors thought 3.5, both answers inconsistent with the daily and weekly limits set. Most (85%) patients and 97% of doctors think doctors should ask about drinking behaviour; yet only 42% of these patients recalled ever being asked how much they drank.

CONCLUSIONS

Both physicians and patients have stringent definitions of early at-risk drinking and believe physicians should intervene. Physicians appear to be intervening less often than expected.