Where to Screen

The settings where screening and assessment occur are varied. Screening should be conducted in settings where the prevalence of risky drinking is likely to be highest and where detection will have the greatest salience for both the healthcare worker and the the person who drinks. The settings appropriate for screening are varied but include: 

• • • general practice and other primary care settings; 

    • emergency departments; and 

    • hospital settings, including wards and clinics. 

In addition, consideration may be given to screening in: 

• • • community health, welfare and general counselling services; and  

    • high-risk workplaces. 

The order of these settings reflects their probable effect; medical settings are most likely to show a high rate of identification.