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Use of AUDIT for alcohol screening among emergency room patients in Thailand. Alcohol Use Disorders Identification
S C Lapham1, P Brown, P Suriyawongpaisal
1Behavioral Health Research Center of the Southwest, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109, USA.
Abstract:
This study evaluated the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) against blood alcohol levels and medical diagnoses. The population under study included 695 current drinkers admitted to emergency rooms of four regional Thailand hospitals. The AUDIT positivity rate was 61% among 343 patients who drank prior to admission and 32% among 352 patients who did not drink alcohol before admission. Breath alcohol levels were positively associated with AUDIT scores. The sensitivity against a previous or current alcohol-related medical diagnosis was 89%. We concluded that the AUDIT is a satisfactory instrument for alcohol screening in this population.