Sex differences in response style to two self-report screening tests on alcoholism

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Alcohol use disorders represent a significant public health concern.
• Accurate screening tools are essential for early detection and intervention.
• Existing screening instruments may have varying efficacy across different demographic groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the revised Malmö modification of the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (Mm-MAST) as a screening instrument for problem drinking.
• To compare the performance of the Mm-MAST with the CAGE questionnaire in a general population sample.
• To assess the reliability and validity of the Mm-MAST in both male and female populations.

Main Methods:

• A health screening was conducted on a birth-year cohort in Malmö, Sweden.
• The revised 10-item Mm-MAST, including all four CAGE items, was administered.
• Data from 911 women and 911 men were analyzed for screening performance and reliability (Cronbach's alpha).

Main Results:

• The Mm-MAST identified a higher proportion of problem drinking scores compared to the CAGE in both sexes.
• Positive Mm-MAST scores were observed in 4% of women and 17% of men; positive CAGE scores in 1% and 7%, respectively.
• The Mm-MAST demonstrated better reliability in men (Cronbach's alpha = 0.69) than in women (0.58).

Conclusions:

• The revised Mm-MAST appears to be a more sensitive screening instrument for problem drinking than the CAGE in both men and women.
• The lower reliability of the Mm-MAST in women highlights the need for developing a gender-specific alcohol screening questionnaire.
• Further research is warranted to refine alcohol screening tools for diverse populations.