Rotary Club of Osoyoos Zoom meeting March 4th, 2021
Guest Speakers: Aaron McRann, ED, Community Foundation of the SO & S and Isabela Szelest, ED, Alcohol Use Disorders Society (AUD)
Science Based Evidence for Alcohol Use Disorders
The Community Foundation of the South Okanagan and Similkameen, ED Aaron McRann partnered with the Canadian Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) society to assist with the crisis that is occurring with AU disorders. Eighteen percent of the population is affected by AUD, less than 8 percent individuals seek treatment and less than 1 % receive treatment. Health care, loss of productivity costs related to AUD are close to 5.4 billion.
The Canadian AUD Society is a national organization, spearheaded by Dr. Jeff Harries who has been providing medical treatment for patients with AUD for years. In 2017, he began to realize that a majority of patients and providers did not have access to effective medical treatments. These medical treatments, in conjunction with counselling and traditional supports are an effective means to treat individuals with AUD.
Dr. Isabela Szelest, ED indicates the purpose of AUD Society is to destigmatize alcohol use disorders as not a moral failing but a disease that is treatable with medication and counselling supports. AUD Society is not funded by pharmaceutical companies. And through advocacy and science-based evidence is promoting a paradigm shift to a more compassionate understanding of AUD as a chronic disease and brain dysfunction to care providers, clinicians, child protection, addictions counsellors, the legal system and First Nations communities.
Currently, the AUD Society is building communities of support and awareness by conducting educational presentations, writing research articles, and media coverage. An educational video for Interior Health Authority is in the works to focus on medication guides and tools on “How to change the culture” versus the efficacy of the medications. And next week a Quality Improvement project at the Emergency Dept, South Okanagan Hospital (Oliver) will commence.
Both Aaron and Isabela stressed the importance of changing the narrative when it comes to alcoholism, even this medical terminology must change in order to change the way people see AU disorders: it’s a chronic disease that deserves the root cause be found. www.caud.org