BACKGROUND: Several variations on the CAGE alcohol screening questionnaire have been recommended. This report evaluates modifications and additions to the CAGE. METHODS: Alcohol screening questionnaires were evaluated in male VA general medicine patients (n = 227; mean age, 65.8). Mailed questionnaires included two scoring options for the CAGE (standard and last-year time frames), questions about quantity and frequency of drinking, two questions about episodic heavy drinking, and the question "Have you ever had a drinking problem?" Main analyses compared alcohol screening questions, at various cut-points, to a gold standard of hazardous drinking during the past year (> or =14 drinks/week or > or =5 drinks on an occasion) and/or DSM-III-R alcohol abuse or dependence, based on standardized interviews. RESULTS: The CAGE questionnaire with a past-year time frame was much less sensitive (0.57 vs. 0.77) but more specific (0.82 vs. 0.59) than the standard CAGE for detecting hazardous drinking during the past year and/or DSM-III-R alcohol abuse or dependence. An eight-item questionnaire that included the standard CAGE was most sensitive (0.92) but had low specificity (0.50). A single question about the frequency of drinking > or =6 drinks on an occasion, included in the eight-item questionnaire, was both relatively sensitive (0.77) and specific (0.83). CONCLUSION: The CAGE questionnaire with a past-year time frame was an insensitive alcohol-screening test. An eight-item augmented version of the standard CAGE was the most sensitive. A question about the frequency of drinking > or =6 drinks on an occasion performed better than the standard CAGE, which made it the optimal brief screening test for at-risk drinking.
BACKGROUND: Several variations on the CAGEalcohol screening questionnaire have been recommended. This report evaluates modifications and additions to the CAGE. METHODS:Alcohol screening questionnaires were evaluated in male VA general medicine patients (n = 227; mean age, 65.8). Mailed questionnaires included two scoring options for the CAGE (standard and last-year time frames), questions about quantity and frequency of drinking, two questions about episodic heavy drinking, and the question "Have you ever had a drinking problem?" Main analyses compared alcohol screening questions, at various cut-points, to a gold standard of hazardous drinking during the past year (> or =14 drinks/week or > or =5 drinks on an occasion) and/or DSM-III-R alcohol abuse or dependence, based on standardized interviews. RESULTS: The CAGE questionnaire with a past-year time frame was much less sensitive (0.57 vs. 0.77) but more specific (0.82 vs. 0.59) than the standard CAGE for detecting hazardous drinking during the past year and/or DSM-III-R alcohol abuse or dependence. An eight-item questionnaire that included the standard CAGE was most sensitive (0.92) but had low specificity (0.50). A single question about the frequency of drinking > or =6 drinks on an occasion, included in the eight-item questionnaire, was both relatively sensitive (0.77) and specific (0.83). CONCLUSION: The CAGE questionnaire with a past-year time frame was an insensitive alcohol-screening test. An eight-item augmented version of the standard CAGE was the most sensitive. A question about the frequency of drinking > or =6 drinks on an occasion performed better than the standard CAGE, which made it the optimal brief screening test for at-risk drinking.
Authors: Katharine A Bradley; Anna D Rubinsky; Haili Sun; Chris L Bryson; Michael J Bishop; David K Blough; William G Henderson; Charles Maynard; Mary T Hawn; Hanne Tønnesen; Grant Hughes; Lauren A Beste; Alex H S Harris; Eric J Hawkins; Thomas K Houston; Daniel R Kivlahan Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2011-02 Impact factor: 5.128
Authors: Emily C Williams; Daniel R Kivlahan; Richard Saitz; Joseph O Merrill; Carol E Achtmeyer; Kinsey A McCormick; Katharine A Bradley Journal: Ann Fam Med Date: 2006 May-Jun Impact factor: 5.166
Authors: Kinsey A McCormick; Nancy E Cochran; Anthony L Back; Joseph O Merrill; Emily C Williams; Katharine A Bradley Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2006-09 Impact factor: 5.128
Authors: Barth B Riley; Tonda L Hughes; Sharon C Wilsnack; Timothy P Johnson; Perry Benson; Frances Aranda Journal: Subst Use Misuse Date: 2016-09-23 Impact factor: 2.164