Alcohol consumption in Spanish primary health care providers: a national, cross-sectional study

Aim

To estimate the prevalence of alcohol consumption and analyse the drinking patterns among primary healthcare (PHC) providers.

Design

Observational, cross-sectional, descriptive study.

Setting

PHC centres in the Spanish National Health System (SNHS).

Participants

Doctors and nurses who completed an online questionnaire which explored their alcohol intake, using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C) alcohol assessment tool. The study population was recruited by random sampling stratified by regions of the SNHS PHC centres.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Frequency of alcohol consumption, number of alcohol drinks on a typical day, frequency of more than six standard drinks (SDs) intake.

Results

A total of 1760 PHC providers completed the questionnaire. The frequency of alcohol consumption was: abstention (12%, 95% CI 10.4% to 13.5%); one or less SDs/month (26%, 95% CI 23.8% to 27.9%); 2–4 SDs/month (32.2%, 95% CI 29.7% to 34.1%); 2–3 SDs/week (17.9%, 95% CI 16.0% to 19.6%); four or more SDs/week (11.9%, 95% CI 10.3% to 13.3%). The number of drinks on a typical day was: none (45.6%, 95% CI 42.9% to 47.6%); 1–2 drinks (47.3%, 95% CI 23.8% to 27.9%); 3–4 drinks (6.5%, 95% CI 5.3% to 7.6%). The percentage of hazardous drinking, according to AUDIT-C criteria, was 32% (95% CI 26.7 to 37.3), with a greater frequency of intake in older professionals (p<0.001), in contrast to a higher number of drinks consumed on a typical day by younger providers (p<0.001). Intake was higher among males (p<0.001), primary care physicians (p<0.001) and resident trainers (p<0.001).

Conclusions

Our study discloses the most up-to-date portrait of current alcohol consumption among Spanish PHC providers, showing a higher prevalence of alcohol intake, compared with the general population. Preventive strategies should be implemented to improve the awareness and training of PHC professionals towards alcohol consumption.

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