The RAFFT as a screening tool for adult substance use disorders

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the specificity and sensitivity of the RAFFT, a brief screening tool, in adult patients with substance use disorders (SUD) when presenting to a psychiatric emergency room. A total of 215 patients were evaluated with the RAFFT, the CAGE, the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and urine drug screens. The RAFFT performed well in adults with SUD and was not influenced by factors such as gender, race, socioeconomic status, or the co-existence of psychiatric disorders. In alcohol use disorders, the CAGE performed better than the RAFFT, due to the lower specificity (or more false positive answers) of the latter.