The relationship between alcohol abuse and neurological diseases: results of an epidemiological screening

Abstract

Most patients who abuse alcohol do not consider their alcoholic habits a problem or deliberately conceal them preferring to visit therapists with somatic complaints. A screening epidemiological study was carried out at neurology centers in Kazan and Yaroslavl. The study included 300 neurology patients (152 men and 148 women) aged 23--75 years. Th patients completed the AUDIT-C and CAGE questionnaires and answered the question: "If you considered yourself having a drinking problem, whose advice would you rather seek: of your physician, a narcologist or yourself?" 19% of women and 78% were screened positive on AUDIT-C. Personal physician was preferred by 39% of men, narcologist by 17%; 25% of women would go to personal physician, and 19% to narcologist. It was found that neurologists underestimated the urgency of alcohol abuse problem among their patients and their involvement in the treatment.