Screening for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
The purpose of screening is early diagnosis and treatment. Screening tests are usually administered to people without current symptoms, but who may be at high risk for certain diseases or conditions
Screening tests for alcohol abuse and alcoholism usually involve simple questionnaires, either verbally administered by a doctor or given in written form. Several of the most commonly tests include the CAGE, the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST), Self-Administered Alcoholism Screening Test (SAAST), The Alcohol Dependence Scale (ADS), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and the T-ACE Test.
Some healthcare providers use a single question for screening: "When was the last time you had more than five drinks (for men) or four drinks (for women) in one day?"
References
Alcohol use disorder. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php. Updated March 4, 2013. Accessed March 29, 2013.
Enoch MA, Goldman D. Problem drinking and alcoholism: diagnosis and treatment. Am Fam Physician. 2002;65(3):441-448.
Screening for alcohol use and alcohol related problems. Alcohol Alert. No. 65. National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism website. Available at:
http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa65/AA65.htm. Accessed March 29, 2013.
Screening tests. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism website. Available at:
http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh28-2/78-79.htm
. Accessed March 29, 2013..