title: The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) as a screen for at-risk drinking in primary care patients of different racial/ethnic backgrounds.
abstract: This study examined the operating characteristics of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) as a screen for "at-risk" drinking in a multi-ethnic sample of primary care patients, from a family practice center located in the southwestern United States. A probability sample of 1,333 family medicine patients, stratified by gender and racial/ethnic background (white, African-American and Mexican-American) completed the AUDIT, followed by the Alcohol Use Disorders and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule (AUDADIS) to determine ICD-10 diagnoses. Indicators of hazardous alcohol use and alcohol-related problems were included as measures of "at-risk" drinking. Despite differences in the spectrum of alcohol problems across patient subgroups, there was no evidence of gender or racial/ethnic bias in the AUDIT as indicated by Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve analysis. Excluding abstainers from the analysis and little impact on screening efficacy. In this population, the AUDIT appears to be an unbiased measure of "at-risk" drinking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555-0853, USA. bvolk%utmbgalv@mhost.utmb.edu
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Volk
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Steinbauer
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Cantor
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Holzer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D017058:Mexican Americans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology