TY - JOUR
T1 - Three questions can detect hazardous drinkers
AU - Gordon, A. J.
AU - Maisto, S. A.
AU - McNeil, M.
AU - Kraemer, K. L.
AU - Conigliaro, R. L.
AU - Kelley, M. E.
AU - Conigliaro, J.
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), the first 3 questions of the AUDIT (AUDIT-C), the third AUDIT question (AUDIT-3), and quantity-frequency questions for identifying hazardous drinkers in a large primary care sample. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. POPULATION: Patients waiting for care at 12 primary care sites in western Pennsylvania from October 1995 to December 1997. OUTCOMES MEASURED: Sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, and predictive values for the AUDIT, AUDIT-C, and AUDIT-3. RESULTS: A total of 13,438 patients were surveyed. Compared with a quantity-frequency definition of hazardous drinking (≥16 drinks/week for men and ≥12 drinks/week for women), the AUDIT, AUDIT-C, and AUDIT-3 had areas under the receiver-operating characteristic curves (AUROC) of 0.940, 0.949, and 0.871, respectively. The AUROCs of the AUDIT and AUDIT-C were significantly different (P=.004). The AUROCs of the AUDIT-C (P <.001) and AUDIT (P <.001) were significantly larger than the AUDIT-3. When compared with a positive AUDIT score of 8 or higher, the AUDIT-C (score ≥3) and the AUDIT-3 (score ≥1) were 94.9% and 99.6% sensitive and 68.8% and 51.1% specific in detecting individuals as hazardous drinkers. CONCLUSIONS: In a large primary care sample, a 3-question version of the AUDIT identified hazardous drinkers as well as the full AUDIT when such drinkers were defined by quantity-frequency criterion. This version of the AUDIT may be useful as an initial screen for assessing hazardous drinking behavior.
AB - OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), the first 3 questions of the AUDIT (AUDIT-C), the third AUDIT question (AUDIT-3), and quantity-frequency questions for identifying hazardous drinkers in a large primary care sample. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. POPULATION: Patients waiting for care at 12 primary care sites in western Pennsylvania from October 1995 to December 1997. OUTCOMES MEASURED: Sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, and predictive values for the AUDIT, AUDIT-C, and AUDIT-3. RESULTS: A total of 13,438 patients were surveyed. Compared with a quantity-frequency definition of hazardous drinking (≥16 drinks/week for men and ≥12 drinks/week for women), the AUDIT, AUDIT-C, and AUDIT-3 had areas under the receiver-operating characteristic curves (AUROC) of 0.940, 0.949, and 0.871, respectively. The AUROCs of the AUDIT and AUDIT-C were significantly different (P=.004). The AUROCs of the AUDIT-C (P <.001) and AUDIT (P <.001) were significantly larger than the AUDIT-3. When compared with a positive AUDIT score of 8 or higher, the AUDIT-C (score ≥3) and the AUDIT-3 (score ≥1) were 94.9% and 99.6% sensitive and 68.8% and 51.1% specific in detecting individuals as hazardous drinkers. CONCLUSIONS: In a large primary care sample, a 3-question version of the AUDIT identified hazardous drinkers as well as the full AUDIT when such drinkers were defined by quantity-frequency criterion. This version of the AUDIT may be useful as an initial screen for assessing hazardous drinking behavior.
KW - Alcohol drinking
KW - Alcoholism
KW - Mass screening
KW - Questionnaires
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M3 - Article
C2 - 11300982
AN - SCOPUS:0035073513
SN - 0094-3509
VL - 50
SP - 313
EP - 320
JO - Journal of Family Practice
JF - Journal of Family Practice
IS - 4
ER -