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. 2006 May 31;37(9):484-8.
doi: 10.1157/13089078.

[Detection and handling of alcohol problems in primary care in Catalonia]

[Article in Spanish]
Lidia Segura Garcia  1 , Antoni Gual Solé, Olga Montserrat Mestre, Angela Bueno Belmonte, Joan Colom Farran
Affiliations

[Detection and handling of alcohol problems in primary care in Catalonia]

[Article in Spanish]
Lidia Segura Garcia et al. Aten Primaria. .

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Objective: To gain information on how well strategies for alcohol problem detection and interventions are being implemented in primary care in Catalonia, Spain.

Design: Longitudinal pre/post study to evaluate the impact of the distribution to primary care professionals of a training programme for detecting alcohol problems and intervening in them. Descriptive analysis of the basic situation, using interviews with patients and professionals and examination of clinical histories (CH).

Setting: Health districts that existed in Catalonia in 2001.

Participants: Twenty eight health districts, 973 patients, 80 professionals, and 852 clinical histories examined.

Main measurements: Data were collected, by means of questionnaires for professionals and patients and of ad-hoc instruments for examining clinical histories, on the levels of primary care screening for alcohol consumption and of intervention.

Results: There was a major disparity in the data between the 3 sources. Thus the screening of consumption and counselling was recorded much less in the CHs than amounts that patients said they received and that professionals said they performed. In addition, most of the at-risk drinkers that were seen in PC were not detected. On comparing them with non-risk drinkers we found significant differences in sex, job, familiarity with the centre and having been asked or not about their alcohol consumption.

Conclusions: Given the deficiencies found in PC preventive activity on alcohol consumption and as alcohol consumption has such huge social and health repercussions on the general population, we think it is fully justified to introduce into PC specific training programmes on screening and brief intervention techniques for alcohol problems.

Objetivo: Conocer el grado de implementación de las estrategias de detección e intervención en los problemas de alcohol en la atención primaria de Cataluña.

Diseño: Estudio de evaluación del impacto de la diseminación de un programa de formación de los profesionales de atención primaria (AP) en la detección e intervención en los problemas de alcohol. Análisis descriptivo de la situación basal a partir de las entrevistas a pacientes, profesionales y el vaciado de las historias clínicas.

Emplazamiento: Áreas básicas de salud (ABS) de Cataluña en el 2001.

Participantes: Participaron 28 ABS seleccionadas aleatoriamente, 973 pacientes, 80 profesionales y 852 historias clínicas auditadas.

Mediciones principales: Se recogieron datos sobre el nivel de cribado e intervención en el consumo de alcohol en la atención primaria a través de cuestionarios a profesionales y a pacientes y la auditoría de las historias clínicas.

Resultados: Se observa una importante disparidad en los datos obtenidos a partir de las 3 fuentes. Así, el cribado de consumo y el consejo se registran mucho menos en la historia clínica de lo que los pacientes dicen recibirlo y de lo que los profesionales dicen hacerlo. Además, la mayor parte de los bebedores de riesgo atendidos en AP no son detectados y presentan diferencias significativas en cuanto al sexo, la profesión, la familiaridad con el centro y el hecho de haberles preguntado o no sobre su consumo de alcohol, en relación con los no bebedores de riesgo.

Conclusiones: Dadas las deficiencies detectadas en la actividad preventiva de AP en relación con el consumo de alcohol y las enormes repercusiones sociales y sanitarias que ocasiona el consumo de alcohol en la población general, creemos que está ampliamente justificado impulsar la implementación en AP de programas específicos de formación sobre técnicas de cribado e intervención breve en los problemas de alcohol.

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