Systems-level approach in primary care improves alcohol screening, counseling, and pregnancy-intention records

Prevention of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in primary care: Use of office champions model to address alcohol use

2026-01-26

(Press-News.org) Original Research

Systems-Level Approach in Primary Care Improves Alcohol Screening, Counseling, and Pregnancy-Intention Records

Background: The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening adults, including pregnant women, for unhealthy alcohol use and providing brief behavioral counseling when risky drinking is identified. This study examined whether implementing the American Academy of Family Physicians’ Office Champions Quality Improvement Model, a framework that empowers local staff to lead care improvement efforts, could improve alcohol screening and brief intervention. Researchers reviewed 2,725 patient records from 17 family medicine practices at baseline (November 2019–February 2020), after implementation (August–November 2021), and at a sustainability follow-up (April–May 2022). Fourteen practices completed the final follow-up.

What They found: Alcohol screening increased from 61% at baseline to 81% at follow-up, and intervention among patients who screened positive increased from 22% to 67%. Documentation of pregnancy intention improved substantially, with fewer records marked as unknown and more patients identified as trying to become pregnant. Practices also increased use of the validated AUDIT-C screening tool. When patients screened positive, clinicians most often provided brief counseling and goal setting.

Implications: The authors conclude that primary care practices can substantially improve alcohol screening and counseling and prevention of alcohol-exposed pregnancies and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders by embedding team-based workflows, staff training, validated screening tools, and EHR supports into routine care.

Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in Primary Care: Use of Office Champions Model to Address Alcohol Use

Julie Wood, MD, MPH, et al

American Academy of Family Physicians, Leawood, Kansas

PRE-EMBARGO LINK (Temporary)

END

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Why family physicians are leaving comprehensive care

2026-01-26

Original Research Why Family Physicians Are Leaving Comprehensive Care Background: Many people in Canada cannot find a regular family physician, partially due to some family physicians leaving comprehensive primary care earlier than planned. This study explored why family physicians in Ontario left comprehensive care and what policy changes they believed could help retain physicians. Researchers conducted a qualitative study using semistructured virtual interviews with 12 family physicians in Ontario who left comprehensive care within the past eight years. What They Found: Family physicians ...

WVU research team working to restore sight lost to genetic eye disease

2026-01-26

A research team at the WVU is studying how to restore vision in people who develop a form of inherited blindness. Visvanathan Ramamurthy, professor and chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine and vice chair of research in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the WVU School of Medicine, is leading this multidisciplinary study alongside a group of scientists and clinicians at WVU. The study is supported by a three-year $1.4 million grant from the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes ...

New data show reduced overall PFAS exposures in subarctic ocean

2026-01-26

Key Takeaways Pilot whale samples from 1986-2023 show that legacy PFAS are declining in the open ocean. Newer PFAS remain a major unknown and may be accumulating in near-source environments. Scientists underscore the need for bulk monitoring and regulation of next‑generation compounds. PFAS, or per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances, are ubiquitous in modern life. First produced at the end of World War II, these chemicals are in everything from furniture and cosmetics to food packaging, non-stick pans and clothing. They have also infiltrated our water, soil, and food, making PFAS a major concern for human and ecological health. Beginning ...

AI sheds light on mysterious dinosaur footprints

2026-01-26

PRESS RELEASE UNDER STRICT EMBARGO UNTIL - MONDAY 26 JANUARY - 3PM US EASTERN TIME AND 8PM UK TIME AI sheds light on mysterious dinosaur footprints A new app, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), could help scientists and the public identify dinosaur footprints made millions of years ago, a study reveals. For decades, paleontologists have pondered over a number of ancient dinosaur tracks and asked themselves if they were left by fierce carnivores, gentle plant-eaters or even early species of birds? Now, researchers and dinosaur enthusiasts alike can upload an image or sketch ...

Changes to cougar diets and behaviors reduce their competition with wolves in Yellowstone, study finds

2026-01-26

A new study shows that interactions between wolves and cougars in Yellowstone National Park are driven by wolves stealing prey killed by cougars and that shifts in cougar diets to smaller prey help them avoid wolf encounters. The study, published at a time of growing overlap between cougar and wolf habitats in the western United States, found wolves occasionally killed cougars, but cougars did not kill wolves. Researchers also found that cougars tend to avoid areas where wolves have made kills and stay close to escape terrain, such as climbable trees. Cougars responded to a decline in elk in the park by killing ...

Researchers discover a previously unknown bacterial component in kidney stone formation

2026-01-26

In an unexpected finding, a UCLA-led team has discovered that bacteria are present inside the most common type of kidney stone, revealing a previously unrecognized component involved in their formation. The findings, to be published in the peer-reviewed journal PNAS, point to a possible therapeutic target that could be used for prevention and treatment for the millions of people who are affected by the frequently painful condition. “This breakthrough challenges the long‑held assumption that these stones develop solely through chemical and physical processes, and instead shows ...

University of Oklahoma researcher awarded NIH grant to advance tribally defined approaches to genomic research

2026-01-26

NORMAN, OKLA. – A transdisciplinary team led by Southcentral Foundation, a Tribal healthcare organization in Anchorage, Alaska, has been awarded a competitive grant from the National Institutes of Health. Jessica Blanchard, Ph.D., senior research scientist at the University of Oklahoma's Center for Applied Social Research, is a key collaborator on the project, representing the continuation of a longstanding partnership between OU and Southcentral Foundation. Administered by the National Human Genome Research Institute, the award is funded under the Building Partnerships and Broadening Perspectives ...

ARPA-H award will fund creation of portable lymphatic imaging scanner

2026-01-26

Researchers at the University of Arizona were awarded up to $1.8 million by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, or ARPA-H, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to develop a lymphatic scanner small and light enough for physicians to bring with them to diagnose and monitor patients with lymphatic disease. Lymphatic disorders affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Standard imaging modalities like lymphoscintigraphy, magnetic resonance and ultrasound fall short in providing sufficient detail for physicians ...

New study may offer hope to women suffering menopausal hot flashes, night sweats

2026-01-26

A woman’s insulin levels in midlife are linked to the timing and duration of menopausal hot flashes, night sweats and cold sweats, according to new research from the University of Victoria (UVic). The study found that having higher insulin levels at age 47 predicted younger onsets of hot flashes and night sweats,” says Faria Athar, lead author of the study, which is published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. “Higher insulin at age 47 was also associated ...

From experience-based simulations to predictive science

2026-01-26

Abstract: Professor Hirotoshi Mori (Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Chuo University), together with Nichika Ozawa (first-year Ph.D. student at Ochanomizu University) and Assistant Professor Nahoko Kuroki of Ochanomizu University, has proposed a new design principle for QM/MM (quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics) simulations. The approach enables objective and automatic determination of the quantum-mechanical region based on electronic-state changes, addressing a long-standing ...

Systems-level approach in primary care improves alcohol screening, counseling, and pregnancy-intention records

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: