title: Prevalence estimates of alcohol problems in a Veterans Administration outpatient population: AUDIT vs. MAST.
abstract: Prior reports have indicated that the prevalence of alcohol-related problems in VA patients is significantly higher than that found in the general population. Prevalence rates, however, are likely to be affected by the screening instrument employed. A sample of 722 VA outpatients awaiting general medical and urgent care treatment was asked to complete two screening questionnaires: the World Health Organization's AUDIT and the brief MAST. Of 508 completed AUDITs, 55 (11%) scored above the cut-offs of 11 for harmful consumption, and 85 (17%) above the more liberal cut-off score of 8; whereas of 501 completed MASTs, 104 (21%) scored above the cut-off. Differences in identification rates are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque 87131-1161, USA.
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Luckie
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Icenogle
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lasoski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009516:New Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D010045:Outpatients / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*