• Jakob Manthey, Christina Lindemann, Uwe Verthein, Ulrich Frischknecht, Ludwig Kraus, Jens Reimer, Annett Grün, Falk Kiefer, Bernd Schulte, and Jürgen Rehm.
• Institut für Klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie, TU Dresden, Chemnitzer Straße 46, 01187, Dresden, Deutschland. jakob.manthey@tu-dresden.de.
• Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz. 2020 Jan 1; 63 (1): 122-130.

BackgroundEarly detection of risky alcohol use and severe alcohol use disorders (AUDs) is crucial to avoid adverse health consequences. The German "Guidelines on Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorders" recommend to routinely screen patients for hazardous alcohol use and to subsequently conduct brief interventions, for example in primary healthcare. For severe AUDs, provision of withdrawal treatment is recommended in inpatient settings if complications are anticipated.ObjectivesTo estimate the proportion of people with hazardous alcohol use or severe AUDs receiving healthcare as stipulated by the guidelines.Materials And MethodsThe prevalence of hazardous use (female ≥12 g; male ≥24 g) and severe AUDs (female ≥60 g; male ≥90 g) was estimated using per capita consumption of pure alcohol. Treatment rates were estimated using survey data (for hazardous use) and inpatient admissions (for severe AUDs). All estimates refer to the adult population (15 years or older) of the federal state of Bremen for 2016.ResultsPhysicians screened 2.9% of all people with hazardous alcohol use and conducted brief interventions with 1.4%. Among people with severe AUDs, 7.1% received inpatient treatment. Among people with severe AUDs who required inpatient treatment, 14.1% received withdrawal treatment in inpatient settings. Treatment rates below average were registered among 21- to 39-year-olds.ConclusionsIn Bremen, provision of guideline-conform healthcare for hazardous alcohol use and severe AUDs is insufficient, especially among 21- to 39-year-olds.

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