Evidence Based Care Models for Recognizing and Treating Alcohol Problems in Primary Care Settings

by Katherine Watkins

Alcohol-related problems are a significant public health concern in theUnited States. Effective treatments exist for the entire spectrum of alcoholrelated problems; however, fewer than half of those who need treatmentactually receive it. This report discusses how a chronic disease managementmodel can be adapted to improve the detection, treatment, and management ofpatients with alcohol-related problems in primary care settings. The reporthighlights the relevant literature and discusses issues and strategies forconsideration in building, implementing, and evaluating a chronic care modelfor alcohol problems in primary care settings. Within the context of thechronic care model, the authors also review the characteristics of the mostwidely used alcohol disorder screening instruments suitable for use inprimary care settings. Further work is needed to develop and collect thenecessary tools and resources to implement the model and to determine itsfeasibility and potential impact.

54 pages, Paperback

Published December 24, 2001