title: Accuracy of self-reports of alcohol offenders in a rural midwestern county.
abstract: Self-reports of drinking are of doubtful accuracy as heavy drinkers tend to underreport consistently amounts drunk as well as other alcohol-related data. A sample of 60 people cited for DWI in a rural midwestern county in southeast Nebraska during routine alcohol-dependency evaluations indicated that 10% underreported their Breath Alcohol Content at the time of arrest and 38% their previous number of DWI citations. Subjects were grouped by age (over and under 30) and by accuracy (accurate and inaccurate reporters). A 2 x 2 analysis of variance of later DWI arrests was significant as younger subjects showed greater risk. Those who underreported number of past DWI citations were significantly lower on their self-reported BAC at the time of arrest than accurate reporters. Age and underreporting alcohol-related data are as important for practitioners to attend to as scores on the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test or SCID measuring alcoholic tendencies.
authors.affiliation: Peru State College, NE, USA. jnevitt@oakmail.peru.edu
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Nevitt
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lundak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001334:Automobile Driving; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012650:Self Disclosure; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology