INFORMATION SHEET FOR THE PATIENT

ALCHIMIE STUDY: ALcohol Consumption among Hospitalised Internal Medicine patients In Europe Unhealthy alcohol use, including hazardous, harmful, alcohol abuse and dependence, is associated to many social, legal, medical, household, occupational and economic deleterious outcomes. The World Health Organisation estimates that, in Western countries, alcohol accounts for 10–11% of all illnesses and deaths each year. Unhealthy alcohol use is common among patients admitted to hospital for reasons other than alcohol misuse. However, it might be overlooked during hospitalisation.

Currently, data regarding prevalence and detection of unhealthy alcohol use in hospitalised patients and data on alcohol-related diagnoses among hospitalised patients in medical wards are still scarce.

For this reason the European Federation of Internal Medicine in association with National Societies of Internal Medicine of nine European Countries, have developed the ALCHIMIE STUDY.

This study aims: To determine the rate and spectrum of unhealthy alcohol use and other alcohol-related disorders among medical inpatients across Europe, To evaluate the rate and methods used by medical staff for the identification of unhealthy alcohol use To describe possible differences among countries.

Study participants will complete a 5-15 minute interview regarding alcohol use. Medical records will be review to assess the methods used by the medical staff to evaluate alcohol consumption. Thirtydays after the interview the medical records will be again reviewed to collect any alcohol-related
diagnosis.

Participation in this study is entirely voluntary. The patient can withdraw consent at any time, without having to explain his reasons for it and without impact on the health care they receive. Individual results of the study will be completely confidential and not passed on to third parties.