| Abstrakt: |
This study examined the prevalence and use patterns of alcohol, nicotine, and other drugs in a university ambulatory clinic. A total of 149 patients sampled during a 3-month period was asked to fill out a self-report questionnaire regarding substance use. The questionnaire included the CAGE, the AUDIT, and the T-ACE instruments. Subjects had a mean age of 35 years, were 84% Caucasian, 60% unemployed, and 80% female. Based on CAGE and T-ACE scores, 13 and 25% of the subjects would be screened for possible alcoholism, respectively. The AUDIT revealed a prevalence rate of between 15 and 31% for early problematic drinking. Forty-six percent of the sample reported current use of nicotine. There is a definite overlap between nicotine and other substance use, with smokers representing 60 and 61% of those positively screened by the CAGE and the AUDIT, respectively. Other drug use was highest for marijuana (8.7%), followed by cocaine (4.7%). These prevalence rates validate the need to provide substance abuse training for staff in family practice settings. Primary care physicians may affect both licit and illicit drug use by screening and intervening with gateway drug use such as tobacco and alcohol. |
