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Screening for problem drinking: does a single question work?
N Taj1, A Devera-Sales, D C Vinson
1Department of Family Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia 65212, USA.
The Journal of Family Practice
|May 16, 1998
Summary
A single question effectively screens for problem drinking and alcohol use disorders. This simple screening tool can help physicians identify individuals needing intervention, improving patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Medicine
- Public Health
- Addiction Psychiatry
Background:
- Physicians often overlook alcohol use assessment, hindering brief interventions for problem drinkers.
- A simple screening question could facilitate early identification and intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the clinical utility of a single question for screening problem drinking.
- To determine the accuracy of this question in identifying at-risk drinking and alcohol use disorders.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study administered a single question about alcohol consumption to 1435 patients.
- Validated instruments, including the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and DSM-IV criteria, were used for comparison.
- Problem drinking was defined as at-risk drinking or an alcohol use disorder.
Main Results:
- The single question demonstrated a positive predictive value of 74% and a negative predictive value of 88%.
- It achieved a sensitivity of 62% and a specificity of 93% for problem drinking.
- The question accurately identified all patients with both at-risk drinking and alcohol use disorders.
Conclusions:
- A single question is a clinically useful tool for detecting at-risk drinking and current alcohol use disorders.
- This screening method offers valuable positive and negative predictive values for identifying problem drinkers.