Updated Guidelines: Alcohol Abuse Screening, Child Abuse, Heart Failure

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has updated its recommendations on screening and behavioral counseling interventions to reduce alcohol misuse. In agreement with a recently updated recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), AAFP advises clinicians to screen all adults 18 or older for alcohol misuse and provide those engaged in risky behavior with brief behavioral counseling. While agreeing with USPSTF that there is insufficient evidence to make this recommendation for adolescents, AAFP has a stronger opinion about the level of harm adolescents are likely to experience from alcohol misuse.