Background
Method
Question | Response categories |
---|---|
How often do you have a drink containing alcohol? | Never Monthly or less Once a week/fortnight 2–3 times a week >4 times a week |
How many standard drinks do you have on a typical day when you are drinking? | Number.... |
How often do you have 6 or more standard drinks on one occasion? | Never Less than monthly Monthly Weekly Daily or almost daily |
Patient variable
| Number (n) | Unadjusted descriptive | Age-sex standardised | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Heavy drinkers (6+ at least weekly), variable specific rate (N = 5,753) | Heavy drinkers (6+ at least weekly), variable specific rate (N = 5,756) | ||||
Per cent of n | p-value* | Per cent of n | p-value* | ||
Sex
| |||||
Males | 4,238 | 13.8 | p < 0.01 | ||
Female | 1,515 | 3.1 | --- | ||
Age
| |||||
18–24 years | 878 | 12.7 | p < 0.01 | ||
25–44 years | 2,250 | 9.5 | --- | ||
45–64 years | 1,941 | 7.8 | --- | ||
65–74 years | 476 | 4.3 | --- | ||
75+ years | 208 | 1.7 | --- | ||
Holds Health Care card
| |||||
Yes | 1,955 | 5.8 | p < 0.01 | 7.7 | p = 0.07 |
No | 3,212 | 8.4 | --- | 7.0 | --- |
Holds Veterans' Affairs card
| |||||
Yes | 164 | 5.2 | p < 0.01 | 8.7 | p = 0.18 |
No | 4,900 | 7.3 | --- | 7.2 | --- |
Non-English speaking background
(a)
| |||||
Yes | 174 | 2.8 | p < 0.01 | 3.3 | p < 0.01 |
No | 5,137 | 7.6 | --- | 7.6 | --- |
Indigenous
| |||||
Yes | 173 | 18.5 | p < 0.01 | 18.9 | p < 0.01 |
No | 5,580 | 7.2 | --- | 7.2 | --- |
New to practice
| |||||
Yes | 733 | 10.5 | p < 0.01 | 8.5 | p = 0.02 |
No | 4,901 | 7.0 | --- | 7.1 | --- |
Daily smoker
| |||||
Yes | 2,406 | 17.5 | --- | 16.1 | --- |
No | 3314 | 5.1* | --- | 5.3* | --- |
Unadjusted descriptive | Age-sex standardised | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Variable | Heavy drinkers | Non-heavy drinkers | Heavy drinkers | Non-heavy drinkers | ||||||
Rate per 100 encounters (n = 5,753) | 95% CI | Rate per 100 encounters (n = 73,221) | 95% CI | Rate per 100 encounters(a) ( n = 5,756)
| 95% CI | Rate per 100 encounters (n = 73,152) | 95% CI | |||
Reasons for encounter
| 150.0 | 147.7–152.2 | ↓ | 155.7 | 154.5–156.9 | 156.60 | 152.7–160.4 | -- | 155.0 | 153.8–156.2 |
Problems managed
| 151.1 | 148.6–153.6 | ↓ | 155.5 | 154.1–156.9 | 160.6 | 156.3–164.9 | ↑ | 154.1 | 152.7–155.5 |
New problem | 58.8 | 56.7–60.9 | ↑ | 53.9 | 53.1–54.8 | 56.4 | 53.2–59.6 | -- | 54.2 | 53.3–55.1 |
Work related | 2.6 | 2.1–3.1 | ↑ | 1.3 | 1.1–1.5 | 1.6 | 1.2–2.0 | -- | 1.4 | 1.2–1.6 |
Chronic problems | 52.0 | 49.7–54.3 | ↓ | 56.6 | 55.4–57.7 | 62.0 | 57.3–66.6 | ↑ | 55.3 | 54.2–56.5 |
Treatment type
|
Rate per 100 problems (n = 8,694)
|
95% CI
|
Rate per 100 problems (n = 113,885)
|
95% CI
|
Rate per 100 problems (n = 9,245)
|
95% CI
|
Rate per 100 problems (n = 112,735)
|
95% CI
| ||
Medications
| 67.5 | 65.4–69.5 | -- | 68.0 | 67.1–69.0 | 70.7 | 66.8–74.5 | -- | 68.1 | 67.1–68.0 |
Prescribed | 55.9 | 53.8–57.9 | -- | 57.4 | 56.3–58.4 | 58.1 | 55.5–62.8 | -- | 57.2 | 56.2–58.2 |
Advised OTC | 5.4 | 4.8–6.0 | -- | 5.2 | 5.0–5.5 | 4.7 | 3.9–5.6 | -- | 5.4 | 5.1–5.6 |
GP-supplied | 6.2 | 5.2–7.2 | -- | 5.4 | 4.9–5.9 | 6.8 | 4.8–8.8 | -- | 5.5 | 5.0–6.0 |
Clinical treatment
| 33.5 | 31.9–35.2 | ↑ | 26.8 | 25.9–27.6 | 32.1 | 30.0–34.2 | ↑ | 27.2 | 26.3–28.1 |
Counselling – alcohol* | 5.7 | 5.0–6.4 | ↑ | 0.2 | 0.2–0.3 | 5.8 | 4.7–6.9 | ↑ | 0.2 | 0.2–0.3 |
Counselling – psychological* | 5.0 | 4.3–5.6 | ↑ | 4.0 | 3.7–4.3 | 5.6 | 4.5–6.6 | ↑ | 4.0 | 3.7–4.3 |
Counsell/advice – smoking* | 2.3 | 1.9–2.7 | ↑ | 0.9 | 0.8–1.0 | 2.2 | 1.6–2.7 | ↑ | 0.9 | 0.8–1.0 |
Procedural treatment
| 11.4 | 10.5–12.3 | -- | 11.0 | 10.6–11.4 | 10.4 | 9.1–11.8 | -- | 10.9 | 10.5–11.3 |
Referrals
| 8.6 | 7.9–9.2 | -- | 8.0 | 7.7–8.2 | 7.7 | 6.7–8.7 | -- | 8.0 | 7.8–8.2 |
Specialist | 5.3 | 4.8–5.8 | -- | 5.4 | 5.2–5.6 | 5.0 | 4.2–5.9 | -- | 5.4 | 5.3–5.6 |
Allied health services | 2.4 | 2.1–2.7 | -- | 2.0 | 1.8–2.1 | 1.9 | 1.4–2.4 | -- | 2.0 | 1.9–2.1 |
Emergency department | 0.1 | 0.0–0.2 | -- | 0.1 | 0.1–0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0–0.1 | -- | 0.1 | 0.1–0.1 |
Hospital | 0.4 | 0.3–0.6 | -- | 0.3 | 0.3–0.3 | 0.5 | 0.3–0.7 | -- | 0.3 | 0.3–0.3 |
Pathology
| 26.0 | 24.0–28.0 | -- | 25.7 | 24.9–26.4 | 27.7 | 24.5–30.9 | -- | 25.8 | 25.0–26.5 |
Imaging
| 6.6 | 5.9–7.3 | -- | 6.0 | 5.8–6.2 | 6.2 | 4.9–7.4 | -- | 6.1 | 5.9–6.3 |
Common chapters and individual problems | Unadjusted descriptive | Age-sex standardised | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Heavy drinkers (6+ at least weekly) | Non-heavy drinkers | Heavy drinkers (6+ at least weekly) | Non-heavy drinkers | |||||||
Rate per 100 encounters (n = 5,753)(a)
| 95% CI | Rate per 100 encounters (n = 73,221)(a)
| 95% CI | Rate per 100 encounters (n = 5,756)(a)
| 95% CI | Rate per 100 encounters (n = 73,152)(a)
| 95% CI | |||
Psychological
|
20.3
|
18.8–21.9
| ↑ |
12.7
|
12.3–13.2
|
22.1
|
19.8–24.5
| ↑ |
12.8
|
12.3–13.3
|
Depression* | 5.6 | 5.0–6.2 | ↑ | 4.5 | 4.3–4.7 | 6.7 | 5.5–7.9 | ↑ | 4.5 | 4.3–4.7 |
Chronic alcohol abuse | 3.2 | 2.6–3.8 | ↑ | 0.1 | 0.1–0.1 | 2.9 | 2.2–3.5 | ↑ | 0.1 | 0.1–0.1 |
Acute alcohol abuse | 1.7 | 1.4–1.7 | ↑ | <0.1 | 0.0–0.1 | 1.8 | 1.2–2.3 | ↑ | <0.1 | 0.0–0.1 |
Drug abuse | 1.2 | 0.9–1.6 | ↑ | 0.5 | 0.4–0.6 | 0.9 | 0.6–1.2 | -- | 0.6 | 0.4–0.7 |
Tobacco abuse | 1.0 | 0.8–1.5 | ↑ | 0.4 | 0.4–0.5 | 1.1 | 0.7–1.5 | ↑ | 0.4 | 0.4–0.5 |
Musculoskeletal
|
20.7
|
19.4–22.0
| -- |
19.4
|
18.9–19.9
|
21.0
|
18.4–23.7
| -- |
19.4
|
18.9–19.9
|
Back complaint* | 4.2 | 3.6–4.7 | ↑ | 3.1 | 2.9–3.3 | 3.1 | 2.5–3.7 | -- | 3.2 | 3.0–3.4 |
Osteoarthritis* | 2.0 | 1.7–2.4 | ↓ | 3.1 | 3.0–3.3 | 3.8 | 2.5–5.1 | -- | 3.0 | 2.8–3.1 |
Fracture* | 1.9 | 1.5–2.3 | ↑ | 0.9 | 0.8–0.9 | 1.8 | 1.0–2.7 | -- | 0.9 | 0.8–1.0 |
Sprain/strain* | 2.7 | 2.3–3.2 | ↑ | 1.6 | 1.5–1.8 | 1.8 | 1.4–2.1 | -- | 1.7 | 1.6–1.9 |
Circulatory
|
14.0
|
13.0–15.0
| ↓ |
19.7
|
19.1–20.2
|
17.7
|
15.3–20.0
| -- |
18.9
|
18.3–19.4
|
Hypertension* | 8.5 | 7.7–9.3 | ↓ | 10.9 | 10.5–11.2 | 11.3 | 9.4–13.1 | -- | 10.5 | 10.1–10.8 |
Ischaemic heart disease* | 1.0 | 0.7–1.3 | -- | 1.5 | 1.3–1.6 | 0.9 | 0.6–1.2 | ↓ | 1.4 | 1.3–1.5 |
Skin
|
20.2
|
18.8–21.5
| ↑ |
16.1
|
15.6–16.6
|
16.9
|
15.1–18.7
| -- |
16.1
|
15.6–16.6
|
Laceration/cut | 1.2 | 0.9–1.5 | ↑ | 0.6 | 0.5–0.7 | 0.7 | 0.5–0.9 | -- | 0.6 | 0.6–0.7 |
Other skin symtpom/complaint | 1.1 | 0.8–1.4 | ↑ | 0.5 | 0.5–0.6 | 1.0 | 0.4–1.6 | -- | 0.6 | 0.5–0.6 |
Respiratory
|
16.1
|
15.0–17.2
| ↓ |
18.6
|
18.1–19.2
|
15.9
|
14.2–17.7
| ↓ |
18.8
|
18.2–19.3
|
Endocrine & metabolic
|
10.9
|
9.9–11.8
| ↓ |
12.6
|
12.2–13.0
|
12.2
|
10.5–13.9
| -- |
12.5
|
12.1–12.9
|
Diabetes* | 2.1 | 1.7–2.5 | ↓ | 3.6 | 3.5–3.8 | 2.6 | 1.7–3.4 | ↓ | 3.6 | 3.4–3.8 |
Gout | 1.5 | 1.2–12.8 | ↑ | 0.5 | 0.5–0.6 | 1.3 | 0.8–1.8 | ↑ | 0.5 | 0.5–0.6 |
Female Genital system
|
4.2
|
3.6–4.8
| ↓ |
8.4
|
8.0–8.8
|
8.0
|
6.7–9.2
| -- |
8.8
|
8.4–9.2
|
Neurological
|
3.4
|
2.7–4.1
| ↓ |
4.3
|
4.2–4.5
|
4.0
|
2.9–5.0
| -- |
4.3
|
4.2–4.5
|
Pregnancy and family planning
|
3.2
|
2.5–3.9
| ↓ |
5.1
|
4.8–5.3
|
4.6
|
3.6–5.5
| -- |
5.2
|
4.9–5.5
|
Urological
|
1.9
|
1.5–2.2
| ↓ |
3.2
|
3.0–3.3
|
2.8
|
1.8–3.9
| -- |
3.3
|
3.2–3.4
|
Digestive
|
11.5
|
10.6–12.3
| ↑ |
10.1
|
9.7–10.3
|
11.7
|
10.2–13.3
| -- |
10.0
|
9.7–10.3
|