Screening diagnosis of mental distress and alcohol consumption in acutely ill somatic patients

Objective : to study, using the SCL-5 questionnaire, the prevalence of mental distress in relation to alcohol consumption, socio-demographic and some clinical characteristics among somatic patients hospitalized in a clinical hospital. Materials and methods : the material was collected in 2016–2017 in V. P. Demikhov City Clinical Hospital of Moscow. 3009 patients were included in the study. Basic socio-demographic data were collected. Alcohol consumption was assessed using AUDIT-4, and the state of mental distress was assessed using SCL-5. Results : the number of women with more than two SCL- 5 points exceeded the number of men. Divorcees and widows were in mental distress more often. The distribution of the number of patients with distress according to the AUDIT-4 test zones had a “J”-shape. The groups “Therapeutic profile” and “Cardiologic profile” were the most prone for distress. Conclusion : early recognition and correction of mental distress in individuals with harmful alcohol use in primary care may improve patient compliance and treatment outcomes. The SCL-5 questionnaire has been shown to be a concise and convenient tool for diagnosing mental distress.