PURPOSE: Alcohol misuse is internationally recognised as a major public health problem. The link between alcohol and crime is strong and offenders have a higher prevalence of alcohol problems when compared with the general population. Alcohol-related crime is estimated to cost the Scottish economy over £700 m per annum. The purpose of this paper is to measure the nature and prevalence of Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs) in adult male prisoners on remand in a prison in Scotland. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) screening tool, all new remand prisoners were screened over a two week period. FINDINGS: Prevalence of alcohol problems within the sample was high: 73 per cent of the sample was identified with an AUD, with 43 per cent with scores indicating possible alcohol dependence. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This is the first study to focus solely on a remand prisoner population and the results show high levels of need. The criminal justice setting is ideally placed to identify and treat alcohol problems in this hard to reach population.
PURPOSE:Alcohol misuse is internationally recognised as a major public health problem. The link between alcohol and crime is strong and offenders have a higher prevalence of alcohol problems when compared with the general population. Alcohol-related crime is estimated to cost the Scottish economy over £700 m per annum. The purpose of this paper is to measure the nature and prevalence of Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs) in adult male prisoners on remand in a prison in Scotland. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) screening tool, all new remand prisoners were screened over a two week period. FINDINGS: Prevalence of alcohol problems within the sample was high: 73 per cent of the sample was identified with an AUD, with 43 per cent with scores indicating possible alcohol dependence. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This is the first study to focus solely on a remand prisoner population and the results show high levels of need. The criminal justice setting is ideally placed to identify and treat alcohol problems in this hard to reach population.
Authors: Aisha Holloway; Sarah Landale; Jennifer Ferguson; Dorothy Newbury-Birch; Richard Parker; Pam Smith; Aziz Sheikh Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2017-05-04 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Emma Gorman; Alastair H Leyland; Gerry McCartney; Ian R White; Srinivasa Vittal Katikireddi; Lisa Rutherford; Lesley Graham; Linsay Gray Journal: Am J Epidemiol Date: 2014-09-16 Impact factor: 4.897