Back to News Front

IG report: Adequate help for alcohol abuse lacking

Heavy alcohol abuse is associated with anxiety and depression. Photo credit: Stock photo

Email Article Print Article Share on Facebook Share on Reddit Share on StumbleUpon

A recently released audit by the Office of the Inspector General determined that the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and military services did not complete screening and treatment of alcohol misuse by service members in a timely manner as per Department of Defense (DoD) guidance.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has warned that heavy alcohol use is a problem in the military and that it is associated with mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression, that some service members experience after deployments.

The DoD requires that the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) questionnaire be administered at least once a year to identify personnel who may be developing problems related to alcohol use.

In reviewing Defense Health Agency, Air Force, Army, Marine and Navy personnel, the audit found that military health care providers did not perform annual AUDIT-C screening for alcohol misuse in a timely manner for 163 of the 210 service members in the seven units selected for review.

Moreover, the AUDIT-C screenings were anywhere from 66 to 200 days past the annual requirement, and in one case 15 service members did not receive their alcohol screening for more than 300 days past the due date.

The audit noted that personnel within the selected DoD medical treatment facilities, substance abuse centers, and units expressed concerns about the effectiveness of the alcohol screening.

The personnel interviewed said that the AUDIT-C questionnaire relies on objective responses from service members about their own alcohol use as they confront the stigma around getting substance abuse treatment and the perceived negative effect on their careers.

The audit also reported that medical providers did not perform the timely screenings because they conducted the AUDIT-C screening during some service members periodic health assessment (PHA), which DoD guidance allows providers up to 15 months to complete - three more months than is allowed for the screening.

As a result, the military services may not have identified and taken timely action to help service members who were at risk for alcohol use disorders.

The audit also uncovered that the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and service branches did not provide on-time intake assessments or treatment for alcohol misuse in accordance with DHA or the branch's guidance.

Of the 270 service members reviewed, 104 did not have an intake assessment, 98 who were diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder did not receive their recommended treatment within seven to 28 days, three service members who were diagnosed with alcohol use disorder did not receive treatment, and 103 of the 270 service members reviewed were involved in an alcohol related incident.

Of those involved in an incident, 31 were not referred for an intake assessment within the Army, Marine Corps, Navy or Air Force timeline requirements.

"Service members were not assessed and treated in a timely manner because guidance was unclear and inconsistent; leadership deferred intake assessments or treatment because of operational requirements, legal actions, or other reasons; and substance abuse centers, medical treatment facilities, or residential treatment facilities were understaffed or unavailable," the audit concluded.

The full report can be found here, https://www.dodig.mil/reports.html/Article/2964794/audit-of-active-duty-service-member-alcohol-misuse-screening-and-treatment-dodi/.

comments powered by Disqus