New studies reveal rise in alcohol screening for adults attending Emergency Departments but more help needed for young and vulnerable
New research published today (4 May) by Alcohol Research UK shows that while more adults are being routinely screened for alcohol-related problems in Emergency Departments in England more specialist support is needed to help young people and the vulnerable.
A new study by researchers based at the University of Surrey, funded by Alcohol Research UK, shows that Emergency Departments in England have increased the level of alcohol screening for adults – with the offer of specialist support for those attending with alcohol-related health problems and for those who frequently attend.
However, while most Emergency Departme...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - May 4, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: Julie Symes Tags: News Source Type: news
Two new studies on alcohol and emergency departments
Hospital Emergency Departments are often at the frontline when it comes to dealing with the harmful effects of alcohol. Although we lack precise details, it is estimated that up to 35% of ED and ambulance costs may be alcohol-related.
Predictably, this is especially acute at night: up to 70% of admissions between midnight and 5am at weekends are estimated to be alcohol-related. The burden placed on staff during these times is enormous, and not helped by the particular difficulties involved in dealing with patients who are drunk.
However, while ED staff are critical in dealing with the accidents and injuries that can occur ...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - May 4, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: James Nicholls Tags: News Source Type: news
Frequent attenders to accident and emergency departments: a qualitative study of individuals who repeatedly present with alcohol-related health conditions
Download a copy of the Survey Report.
Download the Patient Leaflet used in this study.
Key findings
People who frequently attend Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments for alcohol-related reasons tend to experience alcohol dependence associated with multiple and complex needs, but also report diverse patterns of drinking and other substance use, and varied health and social problems.
Although A&E staff are generally sympathetic to the needs of people with complex drinking and related problems, they do not have the resources or training to provide the kind of personalised support that people who frequently atte...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - May 4, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Alcohol Insights Source Type: news
The 3rd National Emergency Department survey of Alcohol Identification and Intervention activity
Conclusion
This 3rd National Emergency Department survey of alcohol identification and intervention activity shows that, in comparison to the previous 2011 survey, changes in alcohol IBA activity remain positive. Routine questioning about alcohol consumption (in adults), the number of GPs being informed by EDs of patient’s alcohol-related attendances, and having access to Alcohol Health Workers or Clinical Nurse Specialists all significantly increased. Additionally, modest increases in the provision of training on alcohol screening and brief advice, and the use of a formal alcohol screening tool for adult attendees hav...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - May 4, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Alcohol Insights Source Type: news
The impact of Scotland’s ambitious alcohol strategy
While some evidence-based interventions from Scotland’s alcohol strategy have been implemented, failure to introduce minimum unit pricing has limited the strategy’s contribution to declines in alcohol consumption and related harm.
[Read more…] (Source: Alcohol Research UK)
Source: Alcohol Research UK - May 3, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: James Nicholls Tags: Findings policy Scotland Source Type: news
Videos from our annual conference on next steps in alcohol research and policy
Videos of presentations from our 2016 annual conference ‘Critical measures: next steps in alcohol research and policy are now available via the Film Exchange on Alcohol and Drugs website. (Source: Alcohol Research UK)
Source: Alcohol Research UK - April 25, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: James Nicholls Tags: News Source Type: news
A new approach to measuring drinking cultures in Britain
New research funded by Alcohol Research UK provides a unique insight into the complexity of British drinking cultures. Researchers from the Sheffield Alcohol Research Group used detailed data from 30,000 individuals to develop a overview of different drinking occasions. The results represent an important new perspective on what ‘British drinking culture’ really consists of. (Source: Alcohol Research UK)
Source: Alcohol Research UK - April 25, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: James Nicholls Tags: News Source Type: news
A new approach to measuring drinking cultures in Britain
Conclusion
We argue that our typology of British drinking occasions substantially advances research on national drinking cultures, particularly in how culture manifests as behaviours with consequences for public health and social order. Along with Mustonen et al.’s typology of Finnish drinking occasions, (Mustonen et al., 2014) we demonstrate that national drinking cultures can be represented by a quantitative model with greater detail than has previously been achieved. However, as our model is of only one key and observable manifestation of drinking cultures – drinking occasions – future research supplementing...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - April 21, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Alcohol Insights Source Type: news
Alcohol Research UK has published a report which looks back at its 30 year history
The report ‘Researching alcohol harm: 30 years of impact’ is based on an impact study undertaken by Professor Richard Velleman and his team which assesses all grant awards funded by Alcohol Research UK and its predecessor body, the Alcohol Education and Research Council, between 1982 and 2014. (Source: Alcohol Research UK)
Source: Alcohol Research UK - April 18, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Special Reports Source Type: news
Conference 2016 – Critical measures: next steps in alcohol research and policy
At its Annual Conference in March 2016, Alcohol Research UK gathered together senior executives, policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and other leading experts from across the UK and beyond to discuss new evidence on patterns of alcohol use, alcohol risks and harm, developing interventions, and reflections on the relationship between alcohol research and evidence-informed policy.
In a series of themed panel discussions and speaker presentations, the following questions were explored:
Calculating risk – how do we better measure the relationship between alcohol consumption and a range of potential harms?
Measuring co...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - April 14, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: News Source Type: news
It takes multiple sessions to shift risky-drinking of hospital inpatients
A review of studies of interventions for heavy drinkers among general hospital inpatients concluded that multi-session brief interventions could reduce drinking, while no effect was found for single interventions. “Could” is an important qualifier: it remains unclear why, although they sometimes, brief interventions still often fail to produce significant effects.
[Read more…] (Source: Alcohol Research UK)
Source: Alcohol Research UK - March 22, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: James Nicholls Tags: Findings Uncategorized Source Type: news
Prudential RideLondon
We have a small number of charity places for the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 on Sunday, 31 July 2016.
Apply now and help us tackle alcohol harms affecting individuals, families and communities. (Source: Alcohol Research UK)
Source: Alcohol Research UK - March 21, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: Julie Symes Tags: News Source Type: news
Alcohol Research UK publishes new report charting 30 years of impact in alcohol research
This report shows that through dedicated research funding we can make a real difference in shaping the field of alcohol harm reduction.
During our 30 year history, we have brought together almost 1,000 of the most committed and innovative researchers from across the UK to develop new research and initiatives that play a crucial part in expanding knowledge and insight in the alcohol field. We’re proud of what’s been achieved so far but there’s still much to do and we look forward to studying the findings from this report and stepping up our focus and investment to ensure our work continues to have real impact with rea...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - March 16, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: News Special Reports Source Type: news
Individualising treatment: an obviously ‘good thing’?
Individualising care might seem an obvious and basic prerequisite for any treatment service, but in practice services have often striven for the opposite.
[Read more…] (Source: Alcohol Research UK)
Source: Alcohol Research UK - March 7, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: James Nicholls Tags: Findings Source Type: news
Report on Scotland’s alcohol strategy published
A major evaluation of the Scottish Government’s alcohol strategy has been published this week by NHS Scotland. It is the final report of Monitoring and Evaluating Scotland’s Alcohol Strategy (MESAS), established to assess the role of national policy in reducing alcohol-related harms.
The 2009 Strategy marked a departure between the Scottish and Westminster Governments on alcohol policy. It introduced measures aimed at reducing consumption across the whole population (rather than only targeting ‘harmful’, ‘binge’ or ‘dependent’ drinkers), and focussed on tackling both the availability and price of alcohol. ...
Source: Alcohol Research UK - March 4, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: James Nicholls Tags: News Source Type: news
