Emily Williams Investigates Pharmaceutical Alcohol Use Disorder Treatments in VA Primary Care Clinics
Posted: 11/7/2017 (CSDE Research)
Affiliate Emily Williams, Associate Professor of Health Services, co-authored a recent article that examines factors that pose challenges for or aid in prescribing medications for alcohol use disorders (AUD), and beliefs among providers of primary care depending on their willingness to prescribe these medications. For this qualitative study, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, the authors interviewed 24 providers from five different Veterans Affairs clinics. Their findings indicate that lack of knowledge and experience, stigma around alcohol, and skepticism about using medications rather than addiction treatment are barriers to prescribing medications for AUD. On the other hand, support for prescribing AUD medications, training, and the presence of behavioral staff to aid in the follow-up process facilitated prescription. Moreover, outcomes suggest that depending on their willingness to prescribe AUD medications, primary care providers have divergent attitudes regarding their role in prescribing for AUD and the effectiveness of medications for treating AUD. The full study is available below.