title: AUDIT, AUDIT-C, and AUDIT-3: drinking patterns and screening for harmful, hazardous and dependent drinking in Katutura, Namibia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe alcohol drinking patterns among participants in Katutura, Namibia, and to evaluate brief versions of the AUDIT against the full AUDIT to determine their effectiveness in detecting harmful drinking.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was conducted in four constituencies and 639 participants, 18 years or older, completed a sociodemographic survey and the AUDIT. The effectiveness of the AUDIT-C (first three questions) and the AUDIT-3 (third question) was compared to the full AUDIT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 40% were identified as harmful, hazardous or likely dependent drinkers, with men having a higher likelihood than women (57.2% vs. 31.0%, p<.0001). Approximately 32% reported making and/or selling alcohol from home. The AUDIT-C performed best at a cutoff ≥ 3, better in men (sensitivity: 99.3%, specificity: 77.8%) than women (sensitivity: 91.7%, specificity: 77.4%). The AUDIT-3 performed poorly (maximum sensitivity: < 90%, maximum specificity: <51%). According to AUROC, the AUDIT-C performed better than the AUDIT-3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A large proportion of participants met criteria for alcohol misuse, indicating a need for screening and referral for further evaluation and intervention. The AUDIT-C was almost as effective as the full AUDIT and may be easier to implement in clinical settings as a routine screening tool in resource-limited settings because of its brevity.
authors: Division of Global HIV/AIDS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
authors: Puja
authors: P
authors: Seth
authors: Division of Global HIV/AIDS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
authors: Mary
authors: M
authors: Glenshaw
authors: Division of Global HIV/AIDS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
authors: Jennifer H F
authors: JH
authors: Sabatier
authors: Ministry of Health and Social Services, Windhoek, Namibia.
authors: René
authors: R
authors: Adams
authors: Ministry of Health and Social Services, Windhoek, Namibia.
authors: Verona
authors: V
authors: Du Preez
authors: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Windhoek, Namibia.
authors: Nickolas
authors: N
authors: DeLuca
authors: Division of Global HIV/AIDS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
authors: Naomi
authors: N
authors: Bock
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009276:Namibia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012306:Risk; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult