PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Paul R. Shafer
AU  - Amanda Borsky
AU  - Quyen Ngo-Metzger
AU  - Therese Miller
AU  - David Meyers
TI  - The Practice Gap: National Estimates of Screening and Counseling for Alcohol, Tobacco, and Obesity
AID  - 10.1370/afm.2363
DP  - 2019 Mar 01
TA  - The Annals of Family Medicine
PG  - 161--163
VI  - 17
IP  - 2
4099  - http://www.annfammed.org/content/17/2/161.short
4100  - http://www.annfammed.org/content/17/2/161.full
SO  - Ann Fam Med2019 Mar 01; 17
AB  - Tobacco use, lack of physical activity and poor diet, and alcohol consumption are leading causes of death in the United States. We estimated screening and counseling rates by using a nationally representative sample of adults aged 35 years and older with a preventive care supplement to the 2014 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Receipt of the recommended level of services ranged from nearly two-thirds (64.2% for obesity, 61.9% for tobacco use) to less than one-half (41.0% for alcohol misuse). There is significant room for improving care delivery, but primary care practices probably also need additional resources to raise screening and counseling rates.