Globally, alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) accounts for 50% of liver-related deaths and is the leading indication for liver transplantation (Lee BP et al JAMA Med 2020). Abstinence from alcohol is the strongest predictor of long-term survival in ALD. While evidence-based therapies for AUD exist to increase rates of abstinence and reduce rates of heavy drinking, patients with ALD rarely receive these therapies (Rogal S et al Hepatology 2020). The barriers to accessing AUD therapy among patients with ALD are likely multifactorial. While the hepatology clinic represents a potential opportunity to provide therapy for AUD to improve clinical outcomes, this is rarely done. A recent survey (Im GY et al CGH 2020) commissioned by the AASLD ALD Special Interest Group reported that the majority (71%) hepatology providers never provide behavioral or pharmacotherapy for AUD, with the most common reason being low comfort (84%). Most (77%) reported low addiction education and 90% desired more training. We have developed this webinar proposal to address these clinical gaps by educating our hepatology community and empowering them with the tools to deliver evidence-based interventions for AUD among patients with ALD in their liver clinic.

In this AASLD webinar, we provide a very clinically-applicable overview of steps that providers (hepatologists, nurse practitioners, etc.) in a liver clinic can make to address AUD for their patients with ALD. The webinar provides a multi-disciplinary approach, but focuses on what is realistic and practical for an every-day liver clinic, which can have variable resources and patient populations.