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I. EVALUATE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION: Average number of drinks per day is a crude assessment of consumption. For example: A patient has answered 4 drinks, well above the recommended average for men and women. But on questioning you discover that this is 4 drinks on a drinking day and the patient only drinks 1 or 2 days a week at most. A male patient answered 2 drinks, within the safe limit for men. But asking reveals that this is a weekday average and on the weekend the patient frequently consumes a six-pack per day. The total number of drinks per week may be 25 drinks or more, an average of >3 drinks per day. A patient records the mixed drinks she has each evening, but forgot to mention the 2 glasses of wine she has each evening with dinner (and the 2+ with dinner on Saturday). Asking a few additional questions can provide additional important information. A good way to open such an inquiry after reviewing a waiting room questionnaire is with an open-ended question. Useful examples are: |