@article{ref1,
title="Auditing the AUDIT: a systematic review of cut-off scores for the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) in low- and middle-income countries",
journal="Drug and alcohol dependence",
year="2019",
author="Nadkarni, Abhijit and Garber, Alison and Costa, Sheina and Wood, Sheena and Kumar, Sonali and MacKinnon, Nathalie and Ibrahim, Mariam and Velleman, Richard and Bhatia, Urvita and Fernandes, Godwin and Weobong, Benedict and Rane, Anil",
volume="202",
number="",
pages="123-133",
abstract="INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organization's (WHO) Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is used extensively across the world, with cut-off scores recommended by the WHO. We reviewed the use and validity of AUDIT cut-off scores in low- and middle-income countries as cultural contexts are expected to influence the detection of alcohol use disorders. <br><br>MATERIALS AND METHODS: The systematic review was guided by an a priori defined protocol consistent with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement. We searched Cochrane library, Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Indmed, LILACS, and AJOL databases using appropriate search terms. We conducted a narrative synthesis of the data. <br><br>RESULTS: We identified 54 distinct studies that used AUDIT cut-off scores which were not in alignment with those recommended by the WHO. India (n = 10), Nigeria (n = 9), and Brazil (n = 9) produced most of these included studies. Most of the studies (n = 42) did not conduct psychometric evaluations of AUDIT cut-off scores. Of the twelve studies which did report psychometric results, a wide range of cut-off scores performed well. In these studies the cut-off scores to detect hazardous drinking ranged from >3 to >5, for harmful drinking from >5 to >16, and for dependent drinking from >7 to >24. <br><br>DISCUSSION: AUDIT is being widely used in LMICs and non-recommended cut-off scores are considered to be appropriate in these countries. It is important to systematically evaluate the psychometric properties of those cut-off scores to ensure the internal validity of the studies in which they are used.<br><br>Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0376-8716",
doi="10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.04.031",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.04.031"
}