AUDIT‐C as a Brief Screen for Alcohol Misuse in Primary Care

摘要: Background: The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Consumption (AUDIT-C) questions have been previously validated as a 3-item screen for alcohol misuse and implemented nationwide in Veterans Affairs (VA) outpatient clinics. However, the AUDIT-C's validity optimal screening threshold(s) other clinical populations are unknown. Methods: This cross-sectional validation study compared questionnaires with standardized interviews 392 male 927 female adult outpatients at an academic family practice clinic from 1993 to 1994. AUDIT-C, full AUDIT, self-reported risky drinking, AUDIT question #3, augmented CAGE questionnaire were interview primary reference standard of misuse, defined Diagnostic Statistical Manual, 4th ed. use disorder and/or drinking above recommended limits past year. Results: Based on 92% eligible patients, 128 (33%) men 177 (19%) women met criteria misuse. Areas under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROCs) AUDIT-C 0.94 (0.91, 0.96) 0.90 (0.87, 0.93) women, respectively (p=0.04). AUROC curves, performed well significantly better than or (p-values <0.001). thresholds that simultaneously maximized sensitivity specificity ≥4 (sensitivity 0.86, 0.89) ≥3 0.73, 0.91). Conclusions: was effective test this care sample. Optimal among (≥4) (≥3) same published VA studies.