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Detection and Management of Alcohol Related Problems in General Practice
Author(s) -
McLean Neil J.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
australian drug and alcohol review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.018
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1465-3362
pISSN - 0819-5331
DOI - 10.1080/09595238880000271
Subject(s) - suspect , neglect , global positioning system , alcohol consumption , psychological intervention , general practice , ideal (ethics) , medicine , psychology , rhetoric , social psychology , alcohol , psychiatry , criminology , family medicine , political science , computer science , law , telecommunications , biochemistry , chemistry , linguistics , philosophy
It has often been suggested that general practitioners (GPs) are in an ideal position to detect early signs of alcohol related problems amongst their patients. However it appears that GPs often do not recognize the signs and symptoms of excessive alcohol consumption, and even when they do suspect that their patients are drinking too much, they are uneasy about discussing the issue. There is a gap between what GPs say they should do, and what they actually do; they acknowledge that warning patients about alcohol and health is part of their role, but in practice they neglect opportunities to promote healthy drinking. Some possible explanations of the gap between rhetoric and practice are discussed. General practitioners have been successful in helping patients give up smoking and this work is seen as a model for alcohol related interventions. A kit to assist the GPs respond to their drinking patients is currently being developed and evaluated. Early indications are that GPs are still reluctant to raise the topic of alcohol with their patients, even though their reactions to the kit are favourable.