Monday, August 10, 2009
One question for Docs to Screen for Alcoholism
Researchers said asking one simple question may be enough for primary care providers to accurately screen patients for alcohol abuse. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism composed the question: "How many times in the past year have you had X or more drinks in a day?" where X was five for men and four for women. The question was 81.8% sensitive and 79.3% specific for detection of unhealthy alcohol use. Medscape (free registration) (08/06)
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Several Excellent Articles on Alcoholism
The New York Times has an article with excellent links on new thinking on Alcoholism. Dr. Mark L. Willenbring, director of the Treatment and Recovery Research Division of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and clinical professor of psychiatry at George Washington University School of Medicine, has an interesting interview at: http://health.nytimes.com/ref/health/healthguide/esn-alcoholism-expert.html
Sara Benton, in her new book, "Understanding the High-Functioning Alcoholic" address many of the same issues at "Raise the Bottom". See the article here.
Sara Benton, in her new book, "Understanding the High-Functioning Alcoholic" address many of the same issues at "Raise the Bottom". See the article here.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Working Alcoholics Cause Headaches for Companies
From CNBC.com
Alcohol Awareness Month Brings Sobering Reality of Workplace Alcoholism
ATLANTA, March 31, 2009 -- April is Alcohol Awareness Month and one way companies are getting involved is with public awareness campaigns about workplace alcoholism. The cost of alcoholism and other drug addictions in the U.S. workforce exceeds $100 billion a year, according to the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI). Part of Alcohol Awareness Month is educating companies in identifying the signs of an alcoholic and help problem drinkers.
"Most people wrongly assume that if an alcoholic employee does not drink at work there is no harm to the company since the abuse takes place on his/her own time.
But damage does occur because alcoholics have reduced mental function, distorted perception, poor judgment and performance, even during work hours when they are not drinking," explains Arthur Jackson, author of "Raise the Bottom: How to Keep Secret Alcoholics from Damaging Your Business." "A job masks the problem since a common myth is that the typical alcoholic is unemployed. Yet studies show over 85 percent of active alcoholics are functional and employed. Alcoholism in the workplace is hidden in plain sight, virtually affecting every business. Because of the stigma of alcoholism, people prefer to see the cause of problems as competition, cash flow, bad management, weak economy -- anything but alcoholism," Jackson says.
Read More
Alcohol Awareness Month Brings Sobering Reality of Workplace Alcoholism
ATLANTA, March 31, 2009 -- April is Alcohol Awareness Month and one way companies are getting involved is with public awareness campaigns about workplace alcoholism. The cost of alcoholism and other drug addictions in the U.S. workforce exceeds $100 billion a year, according to the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI). Part of Alcohol Awareness Month is educating companies in identifying the signs of an alcoholic and help problem drinkers.
"Most people wrongly assume that if an alcoholic employee does not drink at work there is no harm to the company since the abuse takes place on his/her own time.
But damage does occur because alcoholics have reduced mental function, distorted perception, poor judgment and performance, even during work hours when they are not drinking," explains Arthur Jackson, author of "Raise the Bottom: How to Keep Secret Alcoholics from Damaging Your Business." "A job masks the problem since a common myth is that the typical alcoholic is unemployed. Yet studies show over 85 percent of active alcoholics are functional and employed. Alcoholism in the workplace is hidden in plain sight, virtually affecting every business. Because of the stigma of alcoholism, people prefer to see the cause of problems as competition, cash flow, bad management, weak economy -- anything but alcoholism," Jackson says.
Read More
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