Dear Eduardo and all,
"It is very likely that a person who "regularly" drinks 3 or 4 units of alcohol per day will not mark "never" in the rest of the questions. There is a good chance that a person with such a level of alcohol consumption may consume more units on some days, and therefore, must respond positively to one of the other answers that increase the score. This would easily make him reach 8, placing him in a higher risk situation."
I know a lot of people who drink 3 or 4 units of alcohol per day (or even more) and who would answer Never to the seven questions in the DrinkAware Drinking Check. These questions are only likely to be answered yes by someone who has a very serious drinking problem (ie more than 6 units per day). Here are the questions:
Has a relative or friend, doctor or other health worker been concerned about your drinking or suggested that you cut down?
Have you or somebody else been injured as a result of your drinking?
How often during the last year have you been unable to remember what happened the night before because you had been drinking?
How often during the last year have you had a feeling of guilt or remorse after drinking?
How often during the last year have you needed an alcoholic drink in the morning to get yourself going after a heavy drinking session?
How often during the last year have you failed to do what was normally expected from you because of your drinking?
How often during the last year have you found that you were not able to stop drinking once you had started?
I have done another test, again posing as a man who drinks 5-6 units per day (eg 2 large glasses of wine). This time I admitted to occasionally needing an alcoholic drink in the morning to get myself going after a heavy drinking session.
The result: "Great news! You are at lower risk of alcohol-related problems" (!)
This implies that if I drink 42 units a week (3X the maximum recommended by the UK National Health Service) and I occasionally need an alcoholic drink in the morning to get going, then I should celebrate that I am at lower risk of alcohol-related problems!!??
Here's the link for the test in case anyone would like to confirm: https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/tools/drinking-check#
If you are outside the UK, you will need to put in a recognisable UK postcode to get access (for example you can use the HIFA postcode: OX7 5PN)
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org
