Do Alcohol Misuse, Service Utilisation, and Demographic Characteristics Differ between UK Veterans and Members of the General Public Attending an NHS General Hospital?

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to provide insights into alcohol misuse within UK veterans to inform as to whether their presentations differ from the general public. This was done by exploring differences in the severity of alcohol misuse between UK veterans and the general public admitted to a general NHS hospital over an 18 month period using retrospective data. All patients admitted to the hospital were screened for alcohol misuse. Those deemed as experiencing problems were referred for specialist nurse-led support. A total of 2331 individuals were referred for this supported and administered with a standardised assessment that included measures of the severity of alcohol difficulties (AUDIT), dependency levels (LDQ), and assessed for the presence of withdrawal symptoms (CIWA-Ar). In addition, information was collected on service utilisation, referral category (medical or mental health), other substance misuse, and demographic characteristics. No differences were found between the severity of reported alcohol difficulties between veterans and non-veterans. Evidence was found to suggest that veterans were more likely to be referred for support with alcohol difficulties at an older age and to be admitted to hospital for longer periods of time. This could have considerable cost implications for the NHS. It was more common for veterans to present at hospital with physical health difficulties prior to being referred for support for alcohol.

The impact of military service on the mental health of older UK veterans: A qualitative study

“…30 It should also be noted that older veterans reported significantly more alcohol consumption than nonveterans, consistent with research in older and working-age UK personnel/veterans. 36,37 Murphy et al 38 found that compared with nonveterans, UK AF veterans referred for NHS alcohol support were more likely to be older, retired, and male.…”

“…31 Nonetheless, providing support appeared challenging for close companions, particularly when veterans had significant mental health difficulties. Murphy et al38 found that compared with nonveterans, UK AF veterans referred for NHS alcohol support were more likely to be older, retired, and male. At present, veteran-affiliated organizations and charities offering psychological services ensure that appropriate guidance is readily available to the carers of older veterans with dementia.…”

Community reinforcement and family training and rates of treatment entry: a systematic review

“…Estimates suggest that fewer than 10% of the 15 million people in the United States with an alcohol use disorder seek professional help ; similar proportions apply to gambling addiction . Prolonged untreated addiction can cause problems for the individual and their family, and delayed treatment, often provided during a crisis, is both less effective and more costly .…”

The Stigmatized Hero? A Review of UK Opinion Polls and Surveys on Perceptions of British Veterans in UK Society

“…Thandi et al, 2015;Iversen et al, 2007), particularly when being in periods of ' decompression' -the period of leave given to Service Personnel after deployment (Hacker-Hughes et al, 2008). However, alcohol misuse was found to continue being a problem when Service Personnel leave the UK Armed Forces, being one of the Ex-Service Personnel's most common problems for which only a small proportion of veterans seek help (Murphy et al, 2016;Alcohol-Concern, 2012;Fear, Wood & Wessely, 2009).…”