Alcohol Problems Severely Undertreated

Alcohol use and misuse have increased during the pandemic. What’s more, there’s been a shift toward heavier drinking. And a new study says that less than 10% of those with alcohol problems are getting any help.

Help with their alcohol problem that is. Most of these people are going to their doctor. But their doctor doesn’t do anything about the alcohol problem. In fact, they may not even ask about it.

A new study out of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis looked at data from more than 200,000 people with and without alcohol problems. The researchers found that the vast majority of those with alcohol problems do see their doctors regularly for a range of issues. But fewer than one in 10 ever get treatment for drinking.

According to the data, 81% of those with drinking issues had received medical care in a doctor’s office or spent time in a hospital or clinic during the previous year. However, doctors advised only 12% of them to cut down on their drinking. Doctors offered 5% of them information about treatment. And only 6% of them received treatment.

Doctors often feel uncomfortable telling patients they should cut down on drinking, prescribing medication to help them cut back, or referring them to treatment because they don’t specialize in treating alcohol misuse.

Alcoholism is complicated because it’s a spiritual, physical, and emotional problem. Treatment problems often fail to help drinkers because they don’t deal with all three areas. And doctors are not equipped to deal with all three areas.