[Validity of AUDIT test for detection of disorders related with alcohol consumption in women].
OBJECTIVE
Early detection of patients with alcohol problems is important in clinical practice. The AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) questionnaire is a valid tool for this aim, especially in the male population. The objective of this study was to validate how useful is this questionnaire in females patients and to assess their test cut-off point for the diagnosis of alcohol problems in women.


METHODS
414 woman were recruited in 2 health center and specialized center for addiction treatment. The AUDIT test and a semistructured interview (SCAN as gold standard) were performed to all patients. Internal consistency and criteria validity was assessed.


RESULTS
Cronbach alpha was 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.921-0.941). When the DSM-IV was taken as reference the most useful cut-off point was 6 points, with 89.6% (95% CI, 76.11-96.02) sensitivity and 95.07% (95% CI, 92.18-96.97) specificity. When CIE-10 was taken as reference the sensitivity was 89.58% (95% CI, 76.56-96.10) and the specificity was 95.33% (95% CI, 92.48-97.17).


CONCLUSIONS
AUDIT is a questionnaire with good psychometrics properties and is valid for detecting dependence and risk alcohol consumption in women.
Pérula-de Torres
Luis Angel
LA
Unidad Docente de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria, Hospital Regional Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, Spain. langel.perula.sspa@juntadeandalucia.es
Fernández-García
José Angel
JA
Arias-Vega
Raquel
R
Muriel-Palomino
María
M
Márquez-Rebollo
Encarnación
E
Ruiz-Moral
Roger
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires