Publications

National Alcohol Screening Day Proves Worthwhile

In 1992, 14 million Americans were diagnosed with alcohol use disorders and an estimated 20% more could have been classified as risky drinkers, yet only an estimated 3.4 million Americans received alcohol treatment. This disparity led to the creation in 1999 of National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD), a program providing public education, screening, and referral for treatment. There were 1,218 community sites (mostly general and psychiatric hospitals) and 499 college sites across the United States that participated in the AUDIT screening, a ten-question self-test developed by the World Health Organization. A score of 8 or higher on the AUDIT test indicates hazardous or harmful drinking. Participants were given the opportunity to meet with a health professional to review the results of the screening test, and, if necessary, were referred for further evaluation and treatment. Of the 18,043 participants who were screened, almost half had AUDIT scores indicating hazardous drinking.

After the NASD, a follow-up study was conducted. Of the 704 participants who were eligible and agreed to participate in the follow-up study, almost 60% scored an 8 or above on the AUDIT and 24% scored 19 or above [out of 40] indicating immediate intervention. There were demographic differences between those screened at community sites and those at college sites. The community group consisted of older participants who were more likely to have had past alcohol treatment and dependence. They were also more likely to comply with the recommendation for further evaluation than were college participants. The younger college group, on the other hand, had lower overall AUDIT scores. However, 39% of the college group had scores that indicated hazardous drinking. This finding is consistent with prior studies reporting that binge drinking is more common in 18–21-year-old college students than non-students.

A high percentage (66.9%) of the community group of participants reported that they went for a follow-up evaluation, 26.7% said they were no longer drinking at the time of the follow-up study, and 22.8% said they were drinking less. Among those in the college group, 17.7% reported that they were no longer drinking at the time of the follow-up study and 33% reported lower alcohol consumption.

Given these findings, researchers report that the NASD is a feasible and effective program producing valuable education, screening, and referrals. They suggest that future programs focus on public awareness of alcohol and health issues in the community as well as preventive measures specifically targeted to college-aged students.

(Greenfield, SF, Keliher, A, Sugarman, D, Kozloff, R, Reizes, JM, Kopans, B, Jacobs, D: Who comes to voluntary, community-based alcohol screening? Results of the First Annual National Alcohol Screening Day, 1999. The American Journal of Psychaitry 160: 1677–1683, 2003.)

Related posts:

1. Test is Effective but Still Being Fine Tuned
2. Tailgating Proves Dangerous
3. College Drivers at Higher Risk
4. Students Inflate How Much Peers Drink
5. College Drinking Has Serious Health Consequences