A comparison of alcohol screening instruments among under-aged drinkers treated in emergency departments.
OBJECTIVE
Few studies have examined the adequacy of adult-validated alcohol screening measures when used with adolescents and young adults. A total of 103 subjects (55 males, 48 females) participated in a study of alcohol use among under-aged drinkers conducted in two emergency departments.


METHODS
Participants completed three brief screening instruments for problematic alcohol use: the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT); a modified version of the TWEAK; and the CAGE.


CONCLUSIONS
Missing data on the TWEAK, lower internal consistency for the TWEAK and CAGE, and the better ability of the AUDIT to differentiate problem drinkers from non-problem drinkers, suggest that the AUDIT performs best in screening for problematic alcohol use among under-aged drinkers treated in emergency departments.
Kelly
Thomas M
TM
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Donovan
John E
JE
Kinnane
Janet M
JM
Taylor
David M C D
DM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors