S1 E4: Alcohol Use Disorder Part 1: Practical Tools for a Complex Condition w/Dr. Randal Mason

Guest: Dr. Randal Mason
Host: Dr. Chris Morrow
Producer: Craig Ferguson
Music: "Stand With Me" by Adrian Walther licensed via SoundStripe

Episode Timestamps
[00:00] – Introduction and episode overview
[01:09] – The scale of alcohol-related harms in BC and Canada
[02:21] – Why screening remains inconsistent in clinical practice
[04:10] – Screening at every point of care
[04:32] – Clinician discomfort and workflow barriers
[05:42] – New guidance on alcohol-related risk
[07:36] – Understanding risk thresholds: cancer and cardiovascular disease
[08:16] – Patient reactions and clarifying misconceptions
[09:03] – BC guidelines compared with Canadian guidelines
[10:28] – Screening tools: SASQ, AUDIT, AUDIT-C, DSM-5 criteria
[12:30] – Treatment approaches for high-risk drinking vs. diagnosed AUD
[13:21] – Challenges for rural and remote patients and providers
[15:13] – Considerations for Indigenous patients and culturally safe care
[20:34] – Using frameworks like the Five A's in clinical conversations
[21:20] – Closing remarks and preview of Part 2
[21:31] – Knowledge nugget: the history of alcohol and the origin of "toasting"
[22:10] – Credits and CME information

Studies & Research Mentioned
• Province of British Columbia. High‑Risk Drinking and Alcohol Use Disorder. BC Guidelines; 2024. Accessed January 29, 2026. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/practitioner-professional-resources/bc-guidelines/high-risk-drinking-and-alcohol-use-disorder
• Wood E, Bright J, Hsu K, et al; Canadian Alcohol Use Disorder Guideline Committee. Canadian guideline for the clinical management of high‑risk drinking and alcohol use disorder. CMAJ. 2023;195(40):E1364‑E1379. doi:10.1503/cmaj.230715. https://www.cmaj.ca/content/195/40/E1364
• Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA). Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health. 2023. Accessed January 29, 2026. https://www.ccsa.ca/en/guidance-tools-resources/substance-use-and-addiction/alcohol/canadas-guidance-alcohol-and-health [
• World Health Organization. AUDIT: The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test: Guidelines for Use in Primary Care. 2nd ed. WHO; 2001. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-MSD-MSB-01.6a
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test – Consumption (AUDIT‑C). Updated March 2021. Accessed January 29, 2026. https://www.hepatitis.va.gov/alcohol/treatment/audit-c.asp
• American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, Text Revision (DSM‑5‑TR). American Psychiatric Association; 2022. Information and updates available at: https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm
• UBC Continuing Professional Development. Alcohol Use: Screening, Determining Risk, and Evidence‑Based Treatment. Accessed January 29, 2026.

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