Heavy drinking in hospital patients.

The study examines the prevalence of high consumption of alcohol among the patients of a large university hospital, and the ability of physicians to detect heavy drinking. According to self-report, the results of CAGE questionnaire or the physicians' opinion, 25% of the male and 11% of the female patients were heavy drinkers. The physicians identified 43% and 26% of the men and women who screened positively either according to CAGE or self-report. On the other hand, 17% of the men and 14% of the women who were identified by the physicians as heavy drinkers had a negative screening result. Heavy drinking was most often connected with psychiatric disorders, but it was present in all specialties. A wide range of diagnoses were found among abusers. It is concluded that all patients in all clinics should be asked about their drinking habits instead of relying solely on the physician's instinct or on the patient's self-report or CAGE. More individual interviews should be done to make possible early intervention in heavy drinking.