@article{ref1,
title="Stability of at-risk alcohol use screening in a general population sample",
journal="Alcoholism: clinical and experimental research",
year="2020",
author="Staudt, Andreas and Freyer-Adam, Jennis and John, Ulrich and Meyer, Christian and Baumann, Sophie",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="BACKGROUND: In combination with systematic routine screening, brief alcohol interventions have the potential to promote population health. Little is known on the optimal screening interval. Therefore, this study pursued two research questions: (1) How stable are screening results for at-risk drinking over 12 months? (2) Can the transition from low-risk to at-risk drinking be predicted by gender, age, school education, employment or past week alcohol use? METHODS: A sample of 831 adults (55% female; mean age = 30.8 years) from the general population was assessed four times over 12 months. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test - Consumption was used to screen for at-risk drinking each time. Participants were categorized either as low-risk or at-risk drinkers at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months later. Stable and instable risk status trajectories were analyzed descriptively and graphically. Transitioning from low-risk drinking at baseline to at-risk drinking at any follow-up was predicted using a logistic regression model. <br><br>RESULTS: Consistent screening results over time were observed in 509 participants (61%). Of all baseline low-risk drinkers, 113 (21%) received a positive screening result in one or more follow-up assessments. Females (vs. males; OR = 1.66; 95% CI = 1.04; 2.64), 18-29 year olds (vs. 30-45 year olds; OR = 2.30; 95% CI = 1.26; 4.20) and those reporting two or more drinking days (vs. less than two; OR = 3.11; 95% CI = 1.93; 5.01) and heavy episodic drinking (vs. none; OR = 2.35; 95% CI = 1.06; 5.20) in the week prior to the baseline assessment had increased odds for a transition to at-risk drinking. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the widely used time frame of one year may be ambiguous regarding the screening for at-risk alcohol use although generalizability may be limited due to higher-educated people being over-represented in our sample.<br><br>This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0145-6008",
doi="10.1111/acer.14340",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/acer.14340"
}