Alcohol and alcoholism : international journal of the Medical Council on Alcoholism
-
There are many consequences of binge drinking compared with light or moderate drinking behaviors. The prevalence rate and intensity of binge drinking is highest among the college-aged population. Given the popularity and high use of the Internet among college students, a novel approach for programming is through Internet-based interventions. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of Internet-based interventions targeting binge drinking among the college population. ⋯ This review supports using the Internet as a brief intervention approach that can effectively support efforts to reduce binge drinking among college students.
-
The prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) among hospitalized medically ill patients exceeds 40%. Most AUD patients experience uncomplicated alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS), requiring only supportive medical intervention, while complicated AWS occurs in up to 20% of cases (i.e. seizures, delirium tremens). We aimed to prospectively test and validate the Prediction of Alcohol Withdrawal Severity Scale (PAWSS), a new tool to identify patients at risk for developing complicated AWS, in medically ill hospitalized patients. ⋯ PAWSS has excellent psychometric characteristics and predictive value among medically ill hospitalized patients, helping clinicians identify those at risk for complicated AWS and allowing for prevention and timely treatment of complicated AWS.
-
To elucidate the possible effects of alcohol control policy measures on alcohol-related mortality in Russia between 1998 and 2013. ⋯ Countries with high alcohol-related mortality should aim for a reduction in spirits consumption as a major health policy. Alcohol market centralization and reduction of the number of producers can have immediate strong effects on mortality. These measures should be combined with an increase in alcohol taxes and prices, as well as other established alcohol policy measures. In 2015 in Russia, this is not being implemented. In Russia, legislation enforcement including excise tax collection remains the major challenge. Another challenge will be the integration into the Eurasian Economic Union.