title: Screening for problem drinkers in a general population survey in Spain by use of the CAGE scale.
abstract: The CAGE scale has been used as a screening device for problem drinkers in a general population survey. The study was conducted in the fall of 1992 on 2,500 individuals, aged 14-70 years, who live in the region of Castile and Leon (Spain). Alcohol was consumed at least once a week by 51.3% of those surveyed. A total of 136 drinkers (10.6% of "weekly" drinkers, 5.4% of total sample) had positive CAGE scores, as determined by two or more affirmative answers, 120 men (14.3%) and 16 women (3.6%). Those with CAGE positive scores consumed a daily mean of 57.5 grams of pure alcohol per day. The utility of the CAGE scale in a general population survey and the difficulties in applying it are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valladolid, Spain.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Del Rio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology