Primary Care Visit Frequency Is Associated With Diagnosis But Not Pharmacotherapy Prescribing for Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder

Primary care has been proposed as an ideal setting for the management of alcohol use disorder (AUD); however, there is limited research on the diagnosis and prescribing patterns of medications for alcohol use disorder (MAUD) within primary care. This retrospective study aims to determine whether primary care engagement is associated with the likelihood of an AUD diagnosis or prescription of MAUD. Analyzing administrative claims data from a statewide cohort of 10,138 Medicaid enrollees, only 5.9% of patients diagnosed with AUD were prescribed MAUD (including naltrexone, acamprosate, disulfiram, and topiramate). Patients with higher levels of primary care visit frequency were significantly more likely to carry an AUD diagnosis (p < .0001); however, primary care visit frequency was not associated with prescription of MAUD. This study highlights the underutilization of MAUD within primary care, and the need for research identifying successful strategies to address barriers to prescribing MAUD in this setting.