OBJECTIVE: To compare two prenatal alcohol use screening instruments with a physiologic measure of prenatal alcohol use. DESIGN: Retrospective comparison of the Prenatal Alcohol Use Interview (PAUI) and the ACOG Antepartum Record with CDTect. SETTING: An inner-city, high-volume, prenatal clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-six women selected and enrolled at their first prenatal visits. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: An assessment of relative sensitivity and specificity of two prenatal alcohol use screening instruments. RESULTS: Women identified as Drinkers by the CDTect were more likely to be identified as Drinkers by the PAUI (59%) than by the ACOG Antepartum Record (19%). Also, the PAUI had a lower false negative rate (41%) than the ACOG record (80%). That is, the PAUI was less likely to identify as Quitters women the CDTect identified as Drinkers than was the ACOG record. CONCLUSION: The PAUI is a more sensitive screen than the ACOG record and should be the instrument preferred for screening prenatal alcohol use.
OBJECTIVE: To compare two prenatal alcohol use screening instruments with a physiologic measure of prenatal alcohol use. DESIGN: Retrospective comparison of the Prenatal Alcohol Use Interview (PAUI) and the ACOG Antepartum Record with CDTect. SETTING: An inner-city, high-volume, prenatal clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-six women selected and enrolled at their first prenatal visits. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: An assessment of relative sensitivity and specificity of two prenatal alcohol use screening instruments. RESULTS:Women identified as Drinkers by the CDTect were more likely to be identified as Drinkers by the PAUI (59%) than by the ACOG Antepartum Record (19%). Also, the PAUI had a lower false negative rate (41%) than the ACOG record (80%). That is, the PAUI was less likely to identify as Quitters women the CDTect identified as Drinkers than was the ACOG record. CONCLUSION: The PAUI is a more sensitive screen than the ACOG record and should be the instrument preferred for screening prenatal alcohol use.