“Alcohol harm isn’t abstract,” said Dr. Carina Ferreira-Borges, the WHO Europe regional adviser on alcohol. “It can be heart and liver disease. It can be a baby exposed to alcohol before birth. It can be anxiety and depression. It can be a woman who develops breast cancer without ever being told alcohol was a risk.”

The launch highlighted the widespread lack of awareness about alcohol-related health risks.

‘Not an awkward extra’

“We know screening and brief interventions work, but only if health professionals feel able to use them” she continued.

“A doctor or nurse with a few minutes between patients can now ask the hub’s AI assistant how to ask about alcohol consumption and get an answer based on WHO evidence. That makes conversations about alcohol a normal part of care, not an awkward extra.”

Only 15 per cent of people surveyed in 14 European Union countries know that alcohol can cause breast cancer, WHO said, adding that it actually causes at least seven types of cancer as well as cardiovascular and liver disease.

“Alcohol is so deeply embedded in our cultures and social lives that even doctors and nurses can feel uncomfortable asking patients about it, particularly when the patient has come in for something seemingly unrelated,” said Dr. Ferreira-Borges. “Add time pressures, limited training and uncertainty about how to approach the subject without sounding judgemental and you have a major missed opportunity for prevention.”

Prevention opportunities

To address this gap, WHO Europe has launched its new alcohol screening and brief interventions hub, which brings together evidence, guidance and practical tools to help health professionals discuss alcohol-related risks.

Health workers can begin with a 10-question screening test to assess a patient’s alcohol-related risk then use the hub’s AI assistant to prepare for a conversation or find relevant guidance.

“The science is evolving and keeping up with the evidence on alcohol and its links to more than 200 diseases and health conditions is not always straightforward,” Dr. Ferreira-Borges noted.

Catching links

Alcohol is among the least frequently discussed behavioural risk factors in healthcare, WHO noted, and is raised less often than smoking, physical activity or diet.

Many health professionals have been trained to recognise the symptoms associated with heavy drinking, “but not necessarily to understand and communicate the risks associated with more routine consumption”, Dr. Ferreira-Borges continued.

“Say they have a patient with high blood pressure or mental health issues, alcohol rarely comes up, even though it can play an important role.”