STAT+: Despite its toll, alcohol is still an awkward subject in the doctor’s office

Stop in for your annual physical, and you may be asked some version of this question: How much alcohol do you consume most weeks? Or maybe, how many days over the last week did you have a drink? Or even just: Do you drink at all? Most doctors agree that asking about alcohol consumption — and assessing whether drinking is interfering with physical and mental well-being — is an essential part of a checkup. And there are evidence-backed tools to talk about alcohol use, even at a 15-minute appointment. Yet alcohol screening and counseling are too often compressed or skipped during primary care visits, studies suggest. This gap is costing patients and the health care system a great deal. Excessive alcohol use — beyond one drink a day for women or two for men —  is known to cause or worsen dozens of diseases and shorten lifespans. Even moderate use has been linked to an increased risk of cancer, hypertension, liver damage, and other conditions. Continue to STAT+ to read the full story…