Social Determinants of Health in People Living with Psychiatric Disorders: The Role of Pharmacists.

Introduction: Social determinants of health (SDOH) affect outcomes of people living with psychiatric disorders, including substance use disorders. As experts in medication optimization, pharmacists play a vital role in identifying and addressing medication-related problems associated with SDOH. However, there is a paucity of literature on how pharmacists can be part of the solution.

Evaluation of the appropriate use of a CIWA-Ar alcohol withdrawal protocol in the general hospital setting.

Background: The Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment-Alcohol, Revised (CIWA-Ar) is an assessment tool used to quantify alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) severity and inform benzodiazepine treatment for alcohol withdrawal.

Objectives: To evaluate the prescribing patterns and appropriate use of the CIWA-Ar protocol in a general hospital setting, as determined by the presence or absence of documented AWS risk factors, patients' ability to communicate, and provider awareness of the CIWA-Ar order.

Methods: This retrospective chart review included 118 encounters of hospitalized patients placed on a CIWA-Ar protocol during one year.