title: Nosological comparisons of alcohol and drug diagnoses: a multisite, multi-instrument international study.
abstract: International nosological research was conducted to determine cross-system agreement on alcohol and drug dependence and harmful use (abuse). ICD-10, DSM-IV and DSM-III-R diagnoses were compared in 1,811 subjects from a variety of treatment and other types of settings from 12 sites around the world. Three diagnostic instruments were used: the Alcohol Use Disorders and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-Alcohol/Drug-Revised (AUDADIS-ADR), the composite international diagnostic interview (CIDI), and the schedules for clinical assessment in neuropsychiatry (SCAN). At seven of the study sites, two or more of these instruments were used. Results for dependence diagnoses showed excellent cross-system agreement across sites and instruments, especially for current diagnoses. Cross-system agreement for harmless use (abuse) was much lower and less consistent. Geographic location or culture appeared to have little influence on the results for either dependence or harmful use.
authors.affiliation: Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hasin
authors.forename: B F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cottler
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blaine
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Towle
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ustün
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sartorius
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014944:World Health Organization