Unhealthy Alcohol Use

Describes the benefits of screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT)-Plus, which is focused on increasing the reach of SBIRT by aiming for systems-level changes and benefits on a broader population scale

Identifies clinical trials on medication-assisted treatment for alcohol use disorder from ClinicalTrials.gov, finding that 12.6% involving pharmaceutical treatment were prematurely terminated and 39.1% had not published results

Outlines how practices can improve care for patients with unhealthy alcohol use, including four basic steps to build a system of care, and includes a chart demonstrating alcohol screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment as a top evidence-based clinical preventive service in terms of health impact and cost-effectiveness

Summarizes models of care for mental health in primary care settings, including using nurse practitioners to screen, diagnose, and treat common conditions such as alcohol use disorder. Nurse practitioners can take a continuing education test online after reading this article for a small fee

Describes prevention strategies for the identification of unhealthy alcohol use in primary care, including outlining risk factors, methods of screening, and a model for how to adapt alcohol-related prevention methods to a stepped care approach

Describes the methodology of a study that aims to test a 6-month practice facilitation for managing unhealthy alcohol use in Veterans Health Administration liver clinics

Examines the impact of implementation of an Alcohol Symptom Checklist in identifying primary care patients with alcohol use disorder, finding that checklists can be helpful with diagnosis and treatment

An update to AHRQ's systematic review protocol on outpatient pharmacotherapy for adults with alcohol use disorder in April 2022

Summarizes research evaluating the efficacy, comparative effectiveness, and adverse effects of medications in adults with alcohol use disorder