Abstract
Abstract: A huge body of evidence exists as to the efficacy of alcohol screening and alcohol brief interventions in a range of settings including maxillofacial trauma clinics. An overview of the Fast Alcohol Screening Test (FAST) and some patient characteristics were gathered from those attending a regional maxillofacial trauma clinic in Glasgow, United Kingdom. A 3-month study was undertaken from March 2011 using the FAST as a means of detecting hazardous or harmful alcohol use. Gender, age, and deprivation were examined from patient records. Descriptive statistics were obtained, and gender, deprivation, and alcohol consumption were analyzed using Spearman's rho to ascertain potential correlations between these variables. Two hundred and eighteen patients (157 men and 61 women) participated in the study. A total of 120 participants were deemed to be FAST positive, with a score of 3 or more. The mean age of all patients was 34 years. Forty-six participants (21.3%) fell into the most deprived category. There was no significant correlation between deprivation and age, and deprivation and alcohol intake, but a significant negative correlation between age and alcohol intake was underscored (r = -.183, n = 218, p = .007, two-tailed). Alcohol screening and alcohol brief interventions appear to be a worthwhile contribution to the service studied. Screening could be utilized more effectively through targeting the young male population. Moreover, additional research needs to be carried out to further ascertain if relationships are present between deprivation and age, deprivation and alcohol intake, and age and alcohol intake.