title: Validity of self-reports and drug use among young people seeking treatment for substance abuse or dependence.
abstract: The present study assessed drug use and the validity of self-reports of drug use among young people seeking treatment. On admission the participants (n = 316), 215 males and 101 females, were interviewed about their drug use. Urine samples were collected to screen for alcohol, amphetamine, benzodiazepines, cannabis, cocaine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and opiate use. Self-reports of substance use were compared with urinalysis results. Seventy-three percent of the participants reported use of two or more substances. Single substance users were primarily alcohol users. Kappa agreement between self-report and urinalysis results was of acceptable concordance (> or = 0.65) except for alcohol (kappa = 0.19). Conditional kappa values were good (> or = 0.85) with exception of opiates (cond. kappa = 0.57). The self-reports were generally reliable among young people seeking treatment. No significant differences (p > or = 0.54) were found in the validity of self-reports between the genders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland.
authors.forename: Elisabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Solbergsdottir
authors.forename: Gudbjorn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bjornsson
authors.forename: Larus S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Gudmundsson
authors.forename: Torarinn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tyrfingsson
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kristinsson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012650:Self Disclosure; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires