NR 503 Week 2 Discussion: Epidemiology Methods Screening and Diagnostic Tool – Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)

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NR 503 Week 2 Discussion: Epidemiology Methods Screening and Diagnostic Tool – Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) Week 2 Discussion- Epidemiological Methods The Alcohol Use ... Disorder Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) is a screening tool used to assess for alcohol misuse. This screening tool contains 3 questions assessing the usual amount of alcohol consumed in a day, the frequency of use, and frequency of drinking six or more drinks per occasion (Miller et al., 2018). From start to finish this screening takes 1 to 2 minutes. The AUDIT-C is meant for all individuals older than 18 years of age and is suitable for all adult populations. It is recommended to be administered during primary care visits (U.S Preventative Services Task Force [USPSTF], 2018). Miller et al. (2018) implemented the AUDIT-C tool during clinic visits with all college students 18 years or older who visited the campus clinic for various medical needs. By doing so students were identified for misuse of alcohol and were provided resources and counseling. Following identification and intervention, repeat AUDIT-C screenings demonstrated lower scores, indicating decreased consumption of alcohol (Miller et al., 2018). Ntouva et al. (2019) explored the use of the AUDIT-C screening during dental appointments, at 12 clinics in London. The AUDIT-C screening tool was administered in the waiting room. Participants with positive screens were provided brief education on alcohol misuse in regard to oral health and general health. During follow-up phone calls, participants reported drinking less frequently (Ntouva et al., 2019). Tan et al. (2018) utilized DocStyles, a survey, to assess the use of alcohol misuse screenings by providers. Out of the 1,506 providers that participated, 96% reported discussing alcohol use with their patients and 38% reported using AUDIT-C, the recommended screening by USPSTF (Tan et al., 2018). The AUDIT-C screening is reliable as it assesses direct information related to the misuse of alcohol. The tool utilizes the recommended alcohol limit for males and females, by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. By directly identifying the amount of alcohol consumed, frequency of consumption, and frequency of consuming 6 or more drinks in one sitting, the AUDIT-C gathers information to meet the diagnosis of alcohol use disorder. This screening is sensitive to detecting alcohol misuse, as the three questions specifically address the amount of alcohol consumed and the frequency (USPSTF, 2018). The positive predictive values would be high as patients would not likely lie about drinking more than they do. The negative predictive value may be low if patients are not completely honest when completing the AUDIT-C screening. Patients may minimize the amount of alcohol they are consuming or minimize the frequency, which could lead to a false negative screening. After learning about the AUDIT-C screening tool, I believe it would be beneficial to implement it into primary practice. This tool is quick and efficient in detecting alcohol misuse and can be used in the general adult population. With positive screenings, an APRN could engage in conversation with patients about the health consequences related to alcohol misuse. When used in primary practice, screening along with brief counseling can help decrease unhealthy alcoholic use in adult populations (USPSTF, 2018). References: Miller, L. B., Brennan-Cook, J., Turner, B., Husband-Ardoin, M., & Hayes, C. S. (2018). Utilizing an evidence-based alcohol screening tool for identification of alcohol misuse. Journal of Addictions Nursing, 29(2), 90–95. https://doi- org.chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/10.1097/JAN.0000000000000217 Ntouva, A., Porter, J., Crawford, M. J., Britton, A., Gratus, C., Newton, T., Tsakos, G., Heilmann, A., Pikhart, H., & Watt, R. G. (2019). Alcohol screening and brief advice in NHS general dental practices: A cluster randomized controlled feasibility trial. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 54(3), 235– 242. https://doi-org.chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/alcalc/agz017 Tan, C. H., Hungerford, D. W., Denny, C. H., & McKnight-Eily, L. R. (2018). Screening for alcohol misuse: Practices among U.S. primary care providers, Docstyles 2016. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 54(2), 173–180. https://doi- org.chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2017.11.008 U.S Preventative Services Task Force. (2018, November 13). Unhealthy alcohol use in adolescents and adults: Screening and behavioral counseling interventions. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/un healthy-alcohol-use-in-adolescents-and-adults-screening-and-behavioral-counseling- interventions [Show More]

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