@article{ref1,
title="Validation of the screening strategy in the NIAAA "Physicians' Guide to Helping Patients with Alcohol Problems"",
journal="Journal of studies on alcohol",
year="2001",
author="Friedmann, P. D. and Saitz, R. and Gogineni, A. and Zhang, J. X. and Stein, M. D.",
volume="62",
number="2",
pages="234-238",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to determine the diagnostic test characteristics of the alcohol screening strategy recommended in the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA) &quot;Physicians' Guide to Helping Patients with Alcohol Problems.&quot; METHOD: A research interview was performed on patients who presented to one urban emergency department (N = 395; 61% women). It asked three alcohol consumption questions, the CAGE questionnaire, and about past alcohol problems. The NIAAA-recommended screen was considered positive for alcohol consumption in excess of 14 drinks per week or 4 drinks per occasion for men, or 7 drinks per week or 3 drinks per occasion for women, or a CAGE score of 1 or greater. A sample of patients (n = 250) received the Composite International Diagnostic Interview substance abuse module, a gold standard interview, to determine lifetime or prior 12-month alcohol abuse or dependence; results were adjusted for verification bias. RESULTS: The prevalence of lifetime:alcohol abuse or dependence was 13%, for which the NIAAA strategy was 81% sensitive and 80% specific. The prevalence of alcohol abuse or dependence in the prior 12 months was 10%, for which the strategy was 83% sensitive and 84% specific. Its positive likelihood ratio exceeded that of the CAGE, augmented CAGE or consumption questions alone, and its negative likelihood ratio was the lowest. CONCLUSIONS: The screening strategy combining alcohol consumption and CAGE questions recommended in the NIAAA &quot;Physicians' Guide&quot; is valid, and has superior test characteristics compared to the CAGE alone, in this predominantly black (86%) emergency department population. Its brevity and simple interpretation recommend wider dissemination of the NIAAA &quot;Physicians' Guide,&quot; although future research should examine its test characteristics in other clinical settings and with other populations.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0096-882X",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}