The influence of Patient Age and Alcohol-Relevant Laboratory Values on Physicians' Diagnoses of Alcoholism

This study investigated factors that contribute to physicians' diagnoses and ratings of prognosis when reviewing vignettes of hypothetical cases constructed to reflect alcohol dependence. Forty-nine medical residents who read the vignettes were asked to list three probable diagnoses and a prognosis. Patient descriptions in the hypothetical vignettes were identical except for age (35 years vs. 70 years) and inclusion of alcohol-relevant lab values (present vs. absent). Results indicated that the younger patient described in the vignettes was diagnosed with alcoholism more often than was the older patient. The presence of alcohol-relevant lab values was unrelated to a diagnosis of alcoholism. Prognosis, which was on average rated as fair for most patients, was unrelated to the age of the patient.