Heavy drinking and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are major public health problems. Practitioners not specializing in alcohol treatment are often unaware of the guidelines for preventing, identifying, and treating heavy drinking and AUD. However, a consensus exists that clinically useful and valuable tools are available to address these issues. Here, we provide a critical review of existing information and recent developments in these areas. We also include information on heavy drinking and AUD among individuals with co-occurring psychiatric disorders, including drug use disorders. Areas covered include prevention; screening, brief intervention, and referral for treatment (SBIRT); evidence-based behavioral interventions; medication-assisted treatment; technology-based interventions (eHealth and mHealth); and population-level interventions. We also discuss the key issues that remain for future research.
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