Discussing alcohol and cancer with patients: Knowledge and practices of general practitioners in New South Wales and South Australia

Background Alcohol is associated with several cancers; however, the Australian community has low awareness of the link between alcohol consumption and cancer. Little information exists regarding when and why general practitioners (GPs) discuss alcohol with patients. Objectives The objective of this article is to explore GPs' attitudes and practices when discussing alcohol with patients. This includes awareness of alcohol recommendations and evidence of the alcohol-cancer link, and discussion around barriers and enablers to encouraging patients' alcohol behaviour change. Method Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 28 GPs. Results GPs did not routinely ask patients about their alcohol consumption or advise on drinking recommendations. Many had a broad understanding of alcohol as a cancer risk factor, but knowledge of the causal mechanisms and current evidence was limited. Discussion GPs are trusted health advisers. Providing them with up-to-date evidence on the alcohol-cancer link and drinking recommendations may encourage routine patient screening of alcohol consumption and delivery of simple education on the harms of long-term drinking.