© Royal College of Physicians 2014. All rights reserved. 141 Clinical Medicine 2014 Vol 14, No 2: 141–4 MEDICAL EDUCATION Authors: Abhay K Das, A Oliver J Corrado, B Zuzanna Sawicka, C Safirul Haque, D Sujo Anathhanam, E Lopa Das F and Robert West G Junior doctors’ understanding of alcohol units remains poor A survey of 586 trainee doctors in Yorkshire was undertaken to ascertain current junior doctors’ knowledge and understanding of alcohol units. Approximately 18% of trainees had no knowledge of alcohol units despite the fact that 82% believed they had a good knowledge. Once again, those who did not drink alcohol knew less about alcohol units than those who did. Little progress seems to have been made on this important subject since our previous survey 7 years ago. Further steps must be taken to ensure that junior doctors are taught about alcohol units during the course of their training so that they are able to counsel patients appropriately. KEYWORDS: Alcohol units, awareness, trainee doctors, knowledge, patients Introduction Many people enjoy drinking alcohol without it having any deleterious effects on their health or lifestyle. However, people regularly present to a variety of heath services with problems relating to alcohol consumption. Although economic recession increases abstention from alcohol, it also increases the frequency of binge drinking. 1 Excess alcohol consumption has a significant impact on the National Health Service (NHS). Between 2010 and 2011, alcohol was responsible for 1.2 million hospital admissions (NHS Information Centre 2011) and the cost of alcohol-related ill health to the NHS in England was estimated to be £3.3 billion for the same period. 2 In England, 18% of the adult population (7.6 million) drink at a level that would regarded as hazardous to their health, and another 7% (2.9 million) show evidence of some alcohol-related harm. 3 Early identification of the problem and an appropriate, non- stigmatising response from medical professionals can improve outcomes. 5–10 minutes of advice (‘brief intervention’) by ‘competent practitioners’ can be highly effective. This approach is endorsed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). 4 The effect of acute intoxication, chronic toxic effects and addictive propensity of alcohol are directly proportional to the amount of alcohol consumed. The quantity of alcohol is measured in units instead of ‘standard drinks’ because the strength of alcohol and size of the measures vary widely. It is important that the public at large understand alcohol measurements in units, but it is crucial that junior doctors also understand alcohol units because they need to be in a position to counsel their patients appropriately. In our previous survey in 2005, 5 we found that just over half (58%) of the doctors (hospital doctors and general practitioners ABSTRACT Authors: A consultant physician, Dewsbury and District Hospital, Dewsbury, UK; B consultant physician, St James’s University Hospital, Leeds, UK; C consultant physician in elderly medicine, Pinderfields General Hospital, Wakefield, UK; D ST6 in elderly medicine, Halifax General Hospital, Halifax, UK; E specialty doctor in adult psychiatry, South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Priestley Unit, Dewsbury and District Hospital, Dewsbury, UK; F ST4 in elderly medicine, Pinderfields General Hospital, Wakefield, UK; G professor of biostatistics, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK Box 1. The study questionnaire. 1 Do you drink alcohol? Yes/No 2 Do you understand alcohol measurement in units? Yes/No 3 What is the recommended maximum DAILY alcohol intake in units for: Males . . . units Females . . . units ‘Don’t know’ 4 How many alcohol units does a 750 ml bottle of bottle of wine (12%) contain? . . . units 5 Please calculate the WEEKLY consumption of alcohol in units for the following four drinking patterns: (a) One 750 ml bottle of whisky (40%) per week . . . units (b) 3 pints of lager (4%) daily . . . units (c) 1 glass (200 ml) of wine (13%) twice daily . . . units (d) 2 large (100 ml each) sherries (20%) 3 days a week . . . units 6 Please state your grade and your year of training (please circle): GPVTS trainee Year 1, 2, 3 Foundation trainee year 1, 2 Hospital specialist trainee year 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 GPVTS = general practice vocational trainees.