| Abstract: | Abstract: The prevalence of “at risk” levels of alcohol consumption and of alcohol-related problems in a sample of general practice patients was examined. Consumption was measured using both Quantity Frequency (N = 2066) and retrospective diary (N = 808) measures. The two measures yielded similar results. The proportion of females drinking “at risk” levels (40 gms a day) ranged from 0.6% to 1.2% and between 4.1% and 5.8% of males were classified “at risk” (60gms/day). Using the SMAST to measure alcohol-related problems, 8.6% of females and 12.1% of males were classified as “probable alcoholic”, while “possible alcoholism” was present in a further 15.1% of females and 20.1% of males. Only a weak relationship was found between being at physical risk on the basis of excessive consumption and being identified as having alcohol-related problems by the SMAST. Logistic regression was used in an attempt to delineate predictors of alcohol-related problems. Smoking status, alcohol consumption, age and report of skin problems entered the final model, but the prediction from this model was poor (X2 = 322.67, df = 204, p = 0.122). The results are discussed in terms of strategies for general practitioner detection and intervention with patients with alcohol-related problems. |
