A mixed-methods evaluation of an intervention for enhancing alcohol screening in adults aged 50+ attending primary health care.
Introduction: Adults aged 50 years and over are drinking more than ever but primary health care (PHC) professionals find it challenging to screen them for alcohol-related harm, despite being at greater risk for harm than younger drinkers. Aim: This intervention aimed to enhance alcohol screening for...
| Published in: | Journal of Primary Health Care Vol. 17; no. 2; pp. 167 - 176 |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
| Format: | algorithm research tables/charts Journal Article |
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CSIRO Publishing
Jun2025
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=186249954&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 186249954 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 11726164 92I9 jtl: Journal of Primary Health Care issn: 11726164 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Jun2025 vid: 17 iid: 2 pid: 1568 pub: CSIRO Publishing place: Canberra ACT, <Blank> artinfo: ui: 186249954 186249954 186249954 10.1071/HC24061 186249954 ppf: 167 ppct: 9 formats: fmt: – @attributes: type: T – @attributes: type: P tig: atl: A mixed-methods evaluation of an intervention for enhancing alcohol screening in adults aged 50+ attending primary health care. aug: au: Towers, Andy Newcombe, David White, Gillian McMenamin, John Sheridan, Janie Rahman, Juma Moore, Alison affil: School of Health Sciences, College of Health, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand. sug: subj: Alcohol Drinking In Adulthood Alcoholism Diagnosis Health Screening Primary Health Care Algorithms Alcohol Abuse Risk Factors Risk Assessment Health Personnel Education Professional Practice Human Adult Middle Age Aged Aged, 80 and Over Multimethod Studies Prospective Studies New Zealand COVID-19 Pandemic Electronic Health Records Ethanol Aging Physicians, Family Psychosocial Factors Descriptive Statistics Comparative Studies Adult: 19-44 years Middle Aged: 45-64 years Aged: 65+ years Aged, 80 & over ab: Introduction: Adults aged 50 years and over are drinking more than ever but primary health care (PHC) professionals find it challenging to screen them for alcohol-related harm, despite being at greater risk for harm than younger drinkers. Aim: This intervention aimed to enhance alcohol screening for this cohort by (a) introducing an algorithm in the patient management system to automate detection of alcohol risk in patients and (b) providing training to support health professionals' practice of, knowledge about, and comfort with alcohol screening in this cohort. Methods: Eleven PHC practices in Aotearoa New Zealand took part in this intervention, including 41 PHC health professionals. Development and integration of the automated alcohol screening process within PHC patient management systems was undertaken in parallel with health professional training approaches. Results: Screening rates increased substantially at intervention initiation but fell immediately with the onset of the New Zealand COVID-19 national lockdown. Two-thirds of health professionals identified the system screening prompts, over 40% felt this changed their screening practice, and 33% increased their awareness of – and felt more comfortable screening for – alcohol-related risk in those aged 50+. Discussion: We illustrated an initial increase in alcohol screening rates in those aged 50+ as a result of this intervention, but this increase could not be sustained in part due to COVID-19 disruption. However, health professionals indicated that this intervention helped many change their practice and enhanced their awareness of such risk and comfort in screening for alcohol-related risk in those aged 50+. What is already known: Hazardous alcohol use is increasing substantially in older adults, yet they are less likely than younger adults to be screened for alcohol use and related harms in primary health care. What this study adds: This research demonstrates the acceptability and value in an approach to identifying alcohol-related harm in those aged 50+ that combines the knowledge of primary health care professionals about alcohol-related harm in this cohort and the use of existing electronic health records to automate detection of risk factors. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: algorithm research tables/charts Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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