Alcohol Use: Screening, Determining Risk, and Evidence-Based Treatment
Alcohol is one of the most commonly used substances in British Columbia and is consumed throughout the province at rates associated with a high risk of adverse health impacts.
Through education, routine screening, promotion of lower-risk drinking practices, and tailored treatment plans, health-care providers can help mitigate the negative consequences of alcohol use and improve outcomes for individuals and communities.
Unfortunately, significant challenges and gaps currently stand in the way of optimal care. Widespread alcohol screening in clinical practice is lacking, resulting in missed opportunities for early intervention. Without routine screening, many individuals with high-risk drinking and alcohol use disorder (AUD) remain undetected, depriving them of timely support. Additionally, evidence-based treatments for AUD, such as pharmacotherapies, are underutilized, further exacerbating the situation.
To address these challenges, this course explores best practices in alcohol discussions, screenings, management and treatment, as described in the following guidelines:
Canadian Clinical Guideline High-Risk Drinking and Alcohol Use Disorder (2023)
The BC Guideline for High-Risk Drinking and Alcohol Use Disorder (2024)
Provincial Guideline for the Clinical Management of High-Risk Drinking and AUD (2019)
Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health (2023)
This course includes 3 lessons:
- Lesson 1: Updated Evidence on Alcohol Use and Harms in British Columbia
- Lesson 2: Beyond “Do You Drink?” Tips for Sensitive Conversations and Screening
- Lesson 3: Management & Medications
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Describe the societal impacts and costs of alcohol use in British Columbia.
- Discuss alcohol-related health harms as occurring along a continuum at any consumption level.
- Describe the current national and provincial guidelines for the clinical management of high-risk drinking and alcohol use disorder (AUD).
- Identify people with high-risk drinking and AUD in your practice.
- Initiate sensitive, respectful, trauma-informed, and culturally safe conversations and screenings around alcohol use.
- Utilize evidence-based interventions for high-risk drinking and AUD withdrawal management and treatment.
The Division of Continuing Professional Development, University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine (UBC CPD) is fully accredited by the Continuing Medical Education Accreditation Committee (CACME) to provide CPD credits for physicians. This activity is an Accredited Self-Assessment Program (Section 3) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program (MOC) of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and approved by UBC CPD. You may claim a maximum of 1.00 hours (credits are automatically calculated). This one-credit-per-hour Assessment program meets the certification criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and has been certified by UBC CPD for up to 1.00 Mainpro+® credits. Each physician should claim only those credits accrued through participation in the activity.