Missed opportunity for alcohol problem prevention among army active duty service members postdeployment

M.J. Larson, B.A. Mohr, R.S. Adams, N.R. Wooten and T.V. Williams

American Journal of Public Health, 2014, vol. 104, issue 8, 1402-1412

Abstract: Objectives. We identified to what extent the Department of Defense postdeployment health surveillance program identifies at-risk drinking, alone or in conjunction with psychological comorbidities, and refers service members who screen positive for additional assessment or care. Methods. We completed a cross-sectional analysis of 333 803 US Army active duty members returning from Iraq or Afghanistan deployments in fiscal years 2008 to 2011 with a postdeployment health assessment. Alcoholmeasures included 2 based on self-report quantity-frequency items-at-risk drinking (positive Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test alcohol consumption questions [AUDIT-C] screen) and severe alcohol problems (AUDIT-C score of 8 or higher)-and another based on the interviewing provider's assessment. Results. Nearly 29% of US Army active duty members screened positive for at-risk drinking, and 5.6% had an AUDIT-C score of 8 or higher. Interviewing providers identified potential alcohol problems among only 61.8% of those screening positive for at-risk drinking and only 74.9% of those with AUDIT-C scores of 8 or higher. They referred for a follow-up visit to primary care or another setting only 29.2% of at-risk drinkers and only 35.9% of those with AUDIT-C scores of 8 or higher. Conclusions. This study identified missed opportunities for early intervention for at-risk drinking. Future research should evaluate the effect of early intervention on long-term outcomes.

Keywords: adolescent; alcoholism; article; cross-sectional study; female; health status; human; male; mental health; patient referral; questionnaire; risk factor; soldier; statistics; war; young adult, Adolescent; Afghan Campaign 2001-; Alcoholism; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Health Status; Humans; Iraq War, 2003-2011; Male; Mental Health; Military Personnel; Questionnaires; Referral and Consultation; Risk Factors; Young Adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2014.301901_4

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.301901

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