Alcohol counseling as part of general wellness counseling.

Healthcare providers, and nurses in particular, are increasingly being called upon for health promotion counseling. Alcohol risk assessment is often included in general health screening questionnaires, but often little use is made of this information. Alcohol consumption is infrequently included as a focus of health promotion campaigns. Because alcohol intake influences many other health risks, it is logical and practical to include alcohol risk reduction in general wellness counseling. This article presents evidence that incorporating alcohol counseling lowers alcohol risk and lowers the risk of other chronic diseases. It also provides examples of ways nurses and other health professionals can discuss alcohol risk reduction in the context of general health, thus helping remove the stigma associated with alcohol risk and engage clients in efforts to lower their alcohol risk.