AUTHOR=Karlsson Nadine , Skagerström Janna , O'Donnell Amy , Abidi Latifa , Thomas Kristin , Nilsen Per , Lid Torgeir Gilje 

TITLE=Relationship Between Educational Level and Attitudes Towards Alcohol Conversations in Healthcare: A Cross-Sectional Survey Conducted in Four European Countries

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=68

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2023.1605634

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2023.1605634

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objectives:</bold> To examine the association between educational level and attitudes towards alcohol conversations in healthcare using population-based surveys of adults in England, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden; and to compare attitudes towards alcohol conversations in healthcare between these four countries.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Cross-sectional surveys were conducted amongst adults in the general population in England (<italic>n</italic> = 3,499), the Netherlands (<italic>n</italic> = 2,173), Norway (<italic>n</italic> = 1,208), and Sweden (<italic>n</italic> = 3,000). Logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations between attitudes towards alcohol conversations in healthcare and educational level, key demographic variables, alcohol consumption, and country of residence.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> In all four countries, low educational level (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001) and male gender (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001) were associated with holding negative attitudes towards discussing alcohol in healthcare. Risky drinkers had more negative attitudes than low risky drinkers towards discussing alcohol in healthcare (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001) in all countries except England (<italic>p</italic> = 0.48), and also reported low levels of perceived honesty and confidence in healthcare (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001).</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> These findings highlight the importance of considering patients’ socio-economic status when developing and implementing alcohol prevention interventions in healthcare.</p>