title: Validity of the CAGE questionnaire in screening for alcohol dependence in a walk-in (triage) clinic.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study assessed the value of the CAGE questionnaire in detecting alcohol dependence in the walk-in (triage) clinic of an acute care Veterans Affairs hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male veterans (N = 1,667) attending the walk-in clinic were asked several questions relating to whether they were current drinkers, were seeking alcohol treatment, and whether they had been hospitalized for treatment of alcoholism. Those who were current drinkers, were not seeking alcohol treatment and had not been hospitalized for alcohol treatment were given the CAGE questionnaire followed by a diagnostic interview utilizing DSM III-R criteria to determine the presence or absence of a lifetime diagnosis of alcohol dependence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The diagnostic interview revealed a prevalence rate for alcoholism of 22% in this clinic population. The CAGE scale, when used with one or more yes responses indicating a positive response, achieved a sensitivity of 86% and specificity of 93% when using the diagnostic interview as the criterion standard.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study adds to the evidence that the CAGE questionnaire is an effective, efficient, easily used screening instrument for the detection of alcohol dependence in a clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri 64128, USA.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liskow
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Nickel
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Powell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D007615:Kansas / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014218:Triage