Abstract

This chapter describes the development and testing of the Alcohol-Related Problems Survey (ARPS), a screening measure specifically designed to meet the needs of older adults who drink and their primary care physicians. Older adults may experience unfavorable health effects from alcohol use at relatively low levels of consumption because of age-related physiological changes; and interactions among alcohol and declining health, medication-use and diminishing functional status. Physicians consistently fail to recognize alcohol-related risks and problems in this population. The ARPS is unique as it expands upon the traditional alcohol-use paradigm (which focuses on identification of persons who abuse or are dependent upon alcohol) to identify the much larger population of older adults who are at risk for or experiencing problems and those whose drinking is not problematic. The ARPS also provides clinical information describing the basis for determining risk status. The chapter also discusses the effectiveness of the Computerized ARPS (CARPS) in reducing hazardous and harmful drinking and sustaining nonhazardous drinking in older adults. The CARPS is an integrated screening and education system that provides patients and physicians with detailed reports of each patient's drinking patterns and targeted educational materials.

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