title: Association between alcohol screening scores and alcohol-related risks among female veterans affairs patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evidence-based brief interventions for primary care patients with at-risk drinking include personalized feedback on alcohol-related risks, yet little is known about associations between alcohol screening scores and outcomes among women. This study evaluated associations between scores on the three-item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-consumption (AUDIT-C) questionnaire and self-reported alcohol-related risks and consequences among veteran women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Female outpatients from an urban Veterans Affairs facility were mailed annual surveys (1998-2000) (response rates: 65% Years 1 and 2, 55% Year 3). Measures were obtained from each respondent's first completed survey and included a gender-specific AUDIT-C (0-12 points), self-reported alcohol-related consequences, problem drinking or other drug use, and health risks. The prevalence of each outcome across AUDIT-C score groups (0, 1-2, 3, 4, 5-7, 8-12) was estimated using logistic regression, adjusting for age, race, and marital status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 2,670 respondents, 23.7% screened positive for alcohol misuse (AUDIT-C ≥3). For three out of the five alcohol-related consequences (tolerance, blackouts, felt needed to cut down), adjusted prevalence increased at AUDIT-C scores of 3 or more. The remaining alcohol-related consequences (morning eye openers, family/friends worried) increased at scores of 4 or more, as did self-reported problem drinking or other drug use. Associations between health risks (two or more sexual partners, sexually transmitted diseases, injuries, domestic violence, hepatitis/cirrhosis) and AUDIT-C scores were less consistent, but prevalence generally increased at scores of 5 or more.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increasing scores on the AUDIT-C reflect increasing prevalence of self-reported alcohol-related risks and consequences among women. These results provide clinicians with gender-specific information on alcohol-related risks that could be incorporated into brief interventions.
authors.affiliation: Health Services Research & Development, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 98101, USA. Laura.Chavez2@va.gov
authors.forename: Laura J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Chavez
authors.forename: Emily C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Gwen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lapham
authors.forename: Katharine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Bradley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*