Excessive and/or risky alcohol use* resulted in $249 billion in economic costs in 2010 ( 1 ) and >88,000 deaths in the United States every year from 2006 to 2010 ( 2 ). It is associated with birth defects and disabilities (e.g., fetal alcohol spectrum disorders [FASDs]), increases in chronic diseases (e.g., heart disease and breast cancer), and injuries and violence (e.g., motor vehicle crashes, suicide, and homicide). ^†  Since 2004, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has recommended alcohol misuse screening and brief counseling (also known as alcohol screening and brief intervention or ASBI) for adults aged ≥18 years ( 3 ). ^§  Among adults, ASBI reduces episodes of binge-level consumption, reduces weekly alcohol consumption, and increases compliance with recommended drinking limits in those who have an intervention in comparison to those who do not ( 3 ). A recent study suggested that health care providers rarely talk with patients about alcohol use ( 4 ). To estimate the prevalence of U.S. adults who reported receiving elements of ASBI, CDC analyzed 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data from 17 states ^¶  and the District of Columbia (DC). Weighted crude and age-standardized overall and state-level prevalence estimates were calculated by selected drinking patterns and demographic characteristics. Overall, 77.7% of adults (age-standardized estimate) reported being asked about alcohol use by a health professional in person or on a form during a checkup, but only 32.9% reported being asked about binge-level alcohol consumption ( 3 ). Among binge drinkers, only 37.2% reported being asked about alcohol use and advised about the harms of drinking too much, and only 18.1% reported being asked about alcohol use and advised to reduce or quit drinking. Widespread implementation of ASBI and other evidence-based interventions could help reduce excessive alcohol use in adults and related harms.

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McKnight-Eily LR, Okoro CA, Mejia R, et al.  Screening for Excessive Alcohol Use and Brief Counseling of Adults — 17 States and the District of Columbia, 2014External. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2017; 66:313–319.

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