title: Three questions can detect hazardous drinkers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The researchers evaluated the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), the first 3 questions of the AUDIT (AUDIT-C), the third AUDIT question (AUDIT-3), and quantity-frequency questions for identifying hazardous drinkers in a large primary care sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients waiting for care at 12 primary care sites in western Pennsylvania from October 1995 to December 1997.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, and predictive values for the AUDIT, AUDIT-C, and AUDIT-3.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 13,438 patients were surveyed. Compared with a quantity-frequency definition of hazardous drinking (> or =16 drinks/week for men and > or =12 drinks/week for women), the AUDIT, AUDIT-C, and AUDIT-3 had areas under the receiver-operating characteristic curves (AUROC) of 0.940, 0.949, and 0.871, respectively. The AUROCs of the AUDIT and AUDIT-C were significantly different (P=.004). The AUROCs of the AUDIT-C (P<.001) and AUDIT (P <.001) were significantly larger than the AUDIT-3. When compared with a positive AUDIT score of 8 or higher, the AUDIT-C (score > or =3) and the AUDIT-3 (score > or =1) were 94.9% and 99.6% sensitive and 68.8% and 51.1% specific in detecting individuals as hazardous drinkers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a large primary care sample, a 3-question version of the AUDIT identified hazardous drinkers as well as the full AUDIT when such drinkers were defined by quantity-frequency criterion. This version of the AUDIT may be useful as an initial screen for assessing hazardous drinking behavior.
authors: Section of General Internal Medicine, VA Center for Health Services Research, VA Pittsburgh Health Care System, University Drive C, Pittsburgh, PA 15240, USA. gordona@msx.upmc.edu
authors: A J
authors: AJ
authors: Gordon
authors: S A
authors: SA
authors: Maisto
authors: M
authors: M
authors: McNeil
authors: K L
authors: KL
authors: Kraemer
authors: R L
authors: RL
authors: Conigliaro
authors: M E
authors: ME
authors: Kelley
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Conigliaro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D012372:ROC Curve