National Alcohol Screening Day
Alcohol screening promotes health awareness, enabling informed choices and fostering a balanced lifestyle for individuals.
Raising awareness and encouraging people to consider the negative effects of alcohol abuse and dependency, National Alcohol Screening Day offers opportunities for individuals to be proactive in protecting themselves and their families.
History of National Alcohol Screening Day
The original observance of National Alcohol Screening Day was held in 1999 when it was founded in the United States as an initiative by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in cooperation with the Surgeon General. The annual event is sponsored by the Screening for Mental Health initiative that offers free, anonymous screenings for anyone who is concerned about potential alcohol problems. The day takes place during April as part of the larger public service event of Alcohol Awareness Month.
For more than two decades, various events all over the US have been organized in honor of National Alcohol Screening Month. These include spaces such as hospitals, health care centers, and alcohol treatment facilities as well as university and college campuses.
How to Observe National Alcohol Screening Day
Show some care and help for individuals and the community by participating in National Alcohol Screening Day with some of these ideas:
Attend an Alcohol Screening
One important way to get involved with National Alcohol Screening Day is for a person who is concerned that they may have an alcohol problem to attend a screening. The most commonly used test at these screenings is the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), which contains a series of ten multiple choice questions that help to identify how much a person drinks and how often. The answers to the questionnaire are scored on a points system and a medical professional or counselor can help to assess whether that person’s alcohol use is in danger of becoming an addiction or chronic disease.
Host an Alcohol Screening Event
Medical professionals, health care centers and college campuses or groups can participate with National Alcohol Screening Day by hosting a screening event. Doctors’ offices, education staff, community coordinators and others may want to partner with the National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association to get more information and resources about hosting an event or getting trained.
Learn Important Facts About Alcohol Misuse
In addition to devastating harm caused to families and individuals, including illness and death, there is also a financial cost of at least $200 billion or more in healthcare and lost workplace productivity.
Consider and perhaps share some of these other important factors related to alcohol abuse in observance of National Alcohol Screening Day:
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Alcohol abuse can lead to long-term health problems such as various cancers, cardiovascular disease, liver disease and much more.
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Mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and even dementia can be associated with alcohol problems.
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Men are more likely than women to consistently abuse alcohol, and experts estimate that around 17% of men and 8% of women will become alcohol dependent in their lifetime.
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Alcohol abuse causes approximately 80,000 deaths each year, ranking it as the third highest cause of death in the United States.
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