Features

Sober-Curious Young Americans May Be Changing the Conversation Around Alcohol

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According to data from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 68% of adults ages 21 and older in the United States drink alcohol.1 At the same time, researchers believe that the recent “sober-curious” movement may be encouraging some people to reevaluate their relationship with alcohol and the impact that drinking can have on … Read more

Digital Health Technology Shows Promise for Efforts To Address Drinking Among Youth

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Underage drinking and alcohol misuse by young adults are serious public health concerns in the United States. The 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found that 15.1% of people ages 12 to 20 and 50.2% of people ages 18 to 25 reported drinking alcohol in the past month, with 8.2% of 12- … Read more

Combining Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment With Recovery Management in Primary Care Settings Improves Outcomes

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Alcohol screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) can be an effective method for identifying persons either at risk for or with alcohol-related problems and for connecting them to treatment. Recent data suggest, however, that while screening for alcohol misuse is common in primary care and other health care settings, patients are less likely … Read more

Incorporating Harm Reduction Into Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery

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For many years, complete abstinence from alcohol consumption was viewed as the most effective way to recover from alcohol use disorder (AUD) and was a primary outcome of AUD treatment. A large body of evidence, however, suggests that treatment and recovery strategies that reduce heavy alcohol consumption and alcohol-related consequences without complete abstinence can be … Read more

The Importance of Alcohol Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment in Closing the Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment Gap

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Decades of research have firmly established the importance of asking primary care patients about their alcohol use, providing brief advice about reducing alcohol misuse, and referring them to appropriate alcohol treatments, as necessary. Studies consistently find that these practices, known collectively as alcohol screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT), can be used effectively … Read more

Closing the Treatment Gap for Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease

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Drinking too much—whether on a single occasion or over many years—can take a serious toll on an individual’s health. Clinicians across the health care spectrum can play important roles in preventing and treating the harmful effects of alcohol. This role is particularly important among providers who manage patients with liver diseases. Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) … Read more