A new study published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine found that patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have an 18% higher risk of being diagnosed with a new alcohol use disorder (AUD), particularly among those aged 58 years or younger. Integrating discussions about alcohol use in GERD management may provide a less stigmatizing approach to identifying and addressing AUD.

The study analyzed deidentified medical records of primary care patients who had no previous diagnosis of AUD during 2020 and 2021. This research tracked whether patients who had irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), GERD, or gastritis/ulcer, were more likely to receive a new AUD diagnosis during the following 2 years (2022–2023). Separate multivariate regression models were used to deter

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