Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2013 Aug;63(613):e516-22.
doi: 10.3399/bjgp13X670642.

Acceptability of screening for early detection of liver disease in hazardous/harmful drinkers in primary care

Caroline Eyles  1 , Michael Moore, Nicholas Sheron, Paul Roderick, Wendy O'Brien, Geraldine M Leydon
Affiliations

Acceptability of screening for early detection of liver disease in hazardous/harmful drinkers in primary care

Caroline Eyles et al. Br J Gen Pract. 2013 Aug.

Abstract

Background: It is estimated that one-quarter of adults in the UK drink at harmful/hazardous levels leading to increased mortality and alcohol liver disease (ALD). The Alcohol Liver Disease Detection Study (ALDDeS) aimed to test out in primary care the feasibility of alcohol misuse screening in adults, using the AUDIT questionnaire, and to assess screening harmful/hazardous alcohol users for ALD using newer non-invasive serum markers of fibrosis.

Aim: To explore patients' experiences of taking part in ALDDeS and understanding of the delivery and process of screening for ALD using self-report questionnaires and feedback of liver fibrosis risk using levels of non-invasive serum markers.

Design and setting: A nested qualitative study based in five primary care practices in the UK.

Method: From a sample of patients who were identified as drinking at harmful/hazardous levels, 30 participants were identified by maximum variation sampling for qualitative in-depth interviews. Using the principles of constant comparison the transcribed interviews were thematically analysed.

Results: Receiving a postal AUDIT questionnaire was viewed as acceptable by participants. For some completing the AUDIT increased awareness of their hazardous alcohol use and a positive blood test indicating liver fibrosis was a catalyst for behaviour change. For others, a negative blood test result provided a licence to continue drinking at hazardous levels. A limited understanding of safe drinking and of ALD was common.

Conclusion: Educational and training needs of primary care professionals must be taken into account, so that patients with marker levels indicating low risk of fibrosis are correctly informed about the likely risks of continuing to drink at the same levels.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Drummond CS, Oyefeso A, Phillips T. Alcohol Needs Assessment Research Project (ANARP) The 2004 national alcohol needs assessment for England. London: Department of Health, University of London St George’s Division of Mental Health Section of Addictive Behaviour; http://www.alcohollearningcentre.org.uk/_library/Resources/ALC/OtherOrga... (accessed 28 May 2013).
    1. NICE . Alcohol use disorders: preventing the development of hazardous and harmful drinking. London: NICE; 2010. http://www.nice.org.uk/PH24 (accessed 28 May 2013).
    1. Orford J. Coping with drug and alcohol problems: the experience of family members in three contrasting cultures. London: Routledge; 2005.
    1. Rehm J, Baliunas D, Borges GL, et al. The relation between different dimensions of alcohol consumption and burden of disease: an overview. Addiction. 2010;105(5):817–843. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Jones L, Bellis M, Dedham D. Alcohol-attributable fractions for England (alcohol-attributable mortality and hospital admissions) Liverpool: North West Public Health Observatory; 2008.

Publication types