Grant: Project Grant

Alcohol use is a major health and economic problem in Canada, with high and rising hospitalization and deaths. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) accounts for a high proportion of the alcohol-related burden and is common in Canada. Despite the availability of effective evidence-based treatments, people living with AUD not only often do not receive them, but also frequently receive non-evidence-based treatments that could increase harms. In response, some parts of Canada have taken a number of actions, including the development of clinical guidelines. However, the extent to which these guidelines are being implemented, and their impact on clinical practices and patient outcomes, has not yet been evaluated. To address this gap, we propose to 1) determine the impact of British Columbia (BC) and Canadian guidelines on changes in recommended and non-recommended pharmacotherapy practices and examine guideline- and prescriber-related factors influencing guideline uptake, 2) evaluate the impact of changes in recommended and non-recommended pharmacotherapy practices on adverse health outcomes among people living with AUD in BC, and 3) estimate changes in AUD-related costs that would occur based on changes in prescribing practices and adverse health outcomes seen in Aim #3. Results from this study will provide important insights into the effectiveness of current policies and practices, highlight gaps in the delivery of evidence-based care for AUD, and inform policy decisions aimed at improving access to AUD treatment, reducing health disparities, and controlling the economic burden of alcohol-related harm in Canada.