@article{ref1,
title="Missed opportunity for alcohol problem prevention among army active duty service members postdeployment",
journal="American journal of public health",
year="2014",
author="Larson, Mary Jo and Mohr, Beth A. and Adams, Rachel Sayko and Wooten, Nikki R. and Williams, Thomas V.",
volume="104",
number="8",
pages="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. <br><br>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. Alcohol measures 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. <br><br>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. <br><br>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. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print June 12, 2014: e1-e11. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2014.301901).<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0090-0036",
doi="10.2105/AJPH.2014.301901",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.301901"
}