New data reveals that preventive screening for alcohol use disorder dropped during COVID-19 surges despite an increase in alcohol use during the pandemic. Researchers suggest that virtual care could be used to mediate the problem by implementing pre-visit planning and better patient care management. The study highlights the importance of continuing to implement behavioral health screenings, including those for alcohol use, even during challenging periods. As telehealth becomes increasingly common, it will be essential to develop strategies that allow healthcare providers to continue delivering preventive screenings without interruption.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on healthcare delivery, with preventive screenings for alcohol use disorder dropping during surges, according to new data. Despite figures showing an increase in alcohol use during the pandemic, many primary care providers failed to screen their patients for alcohol use disorder, leaving some experts to question how virtual care can be used to mediate the issue. The researchers have called on providers to strengthen their preventive screening efforts using virtual care, particularly for conditions like alcohol use, for which screening and counseling can be done via telehealth.
The researchers from Boston Medical Center published the study, entitled “Temporal trends in alcohol use disorder screening rates at primary care visits during the COVID-19 pandemic”, in Preventive Medicine Reports. The study examined the changes in alcohol screening rates during the pandemic’s initial surge in the spring of 2020, as well as subsequent surges.
The researchers found that there was a significant drop in alcohol use disorder screening rates during the pandemic, with the rate falling to a low of 2.1% in April and May of 2020. The researchers attributed this drop to the unprecedented interruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although many clinics shifted to telehealth to monitor chronic disease management, preventive care took a backseat as providers and patients alike worked to learn more about the current public health crisis. Moreover, some providers may have lacked a framework for conducting virtual alcohol use disorder screenings, the researchers posited.
After the initial surge, screening rates recovered to a rate of 39.8% between June 2020 and July 2021, but significant COVID-19 case surges continued to cause disruptions. During the Delta variant wave in the summer and fall of 2021, alcohol use disorder screenings dropped to 34.2%. During December 2021, screening rates were 33.8%. And again, when the Omicron variant emerged in January 2022, screening rates decreased to 27.6%.
By the end of the study period, alcohol use disorder screenings had rebounded back to the pre-pandemic level of 40.4%. However, the analysis highlights the need to strengthen virtual screening for alcohol use disorder, as verbal or written screening is adaptable to a remote format. The researchers suggested implementing pre-visit planning and better patient care management during virtual visits to preempt disruptions to alcohol use disorder screenings during any future COVID-19 surges.
The Substance Use and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reported that more than half of US adults had drunk alcohol within the past month in 2021, with a quarter of adults reporting binge drinking. The data also showed that 29.5 million adults had an alcohol use disorder in 2021. Given the importance of prevention through universal, annual alcohol screening, particularly given the increases in alcohol-related morbidity and mortality during the pandemic, innovative workflow strategies should be considered and prioritized to avoid interruptions of screening for unhealthy alcohol use in primary care.
Dan Alford, MD, MPH, the study’s lead author, a primary care physician at Boston Medical Center, and professor of medicine at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, said in a statement, “We hope that this study highlights the importance of continuing to implement important behavioral health screenings even during challenging periods.” With the rising trend of telehealth, virtual care has emerged as a powerful tool in addressing issues like alcohol use disorder screening. As virtual care becomes increasingly common, it will be essential to develop strategies that allow healthcare providers to continue delivering preventive screenings without interruption.
Leave a Reply