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Performance of alcoholism screening questionnaires in elderly veterans
J L Morton1, T V Jones, M A Manganaro
1Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
The American Journal of Medicine
|August 1, 1996
Summary
The CAGE and MAST-G questionnaires are effective for screening alcohol abuse in elderly male veterans. CAGE is recommended due to its brevity and comparable accuracy to the MAST-G.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Psychiatry
- Public Health
Background:
- Alcohol abuse and dependence are significant health concerns in the elderly veteran population.
- Screening tools are crucial for early detection and intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate three alcoholism screening questionnaires: MAST-G, CAGE, and AUDIT.
- To compare their performance in elderly male veterans.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 120 male veterans aged 65+.
- Comparison of MAST-G, CAGE, and AUDIT against the DIS-III-R alcohol module.
- Evaluation of sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values.
Main Results:
- MAST-G (score >=5) showed 70% sensitivity and 81% specificity.
- CAGE (score >=2) showed 63% sensitivity and 82% specificity.
- AUDIT (score >=8, active drinkers) showed 33% sensitivity and 91% specificity. ROC analysis favored MAST-G and CAGE over AUDIT.
Conclusions:
- MAST-G and CAGE are superior to AUDIT for screening alcohol use disorders in elderly male veterans.
- The CAGE questionnaire offers an advantage due to its brevity and comparable accuracy.
