ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE

Setting Rural Medical Centre

Patient

You are a 26 year old single father of an 8 year old girl. You are employed as
a truck driver. Your wife died 2 years ago and you have custody of your child.
After that you started to drink heavily at the weekends. Day time your
daughter is at school and the after-school centre. At weekends some times
you leave your daughter at home alone. You have had a couple of car
accidents in the past year.

Task

Answer appropriately the doctors questions.

Ask for some help for your daughter.
If doctor advises you to stop drinking explain that you have tried
before but it is very difficult to do.

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Setting Rural Medical Centre

Doctor

You are working in a general practice. This patient is well known to you. He is
a 26 year old single parent of an 8 year old daughter. Mother died 2 years
ago and he has sole custody of the child. Patient is a truck driver. He
regularly drinks heavily at weekends and has had 2 car accidents. You are
aware that he sometimes leaves his daughter by herself for a few hours on
weekends.

Task

Ask the patient to describe his drinking pattern e.g. how much
alcohol and how often?
Point out the harmful consequences of his alcoholic consumption and
recommend immediately cutting it down to a safer level.
Describe the risks of alcoholism and the support services available.
Ask about the care of his daughter at weekends when he is drinking
heavily.
Discuss an arrangement of community support services for his
daughter or social workers help.