TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2012//
TI  - Association between alcohol screening scores and alcohol-related risks among female veterans affairs patients
JO  - Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs
A1  - Chavez, Laura J.
A1  - Williams, Emily C.
A1  - Lapham, Gwen
A1  - Bradley, Katharine A.
SP  - 391
EP  - 400
VL  - 73
IS  - 3
N2  - Objective: Evidence-based brief interventions for primary care patients with at-risk drinking include personalized feedback on alcohol-related risks, yet little is known about associations between alcohol screening scores and outcomes among women. This study evaluated associations between scores on the three-item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-consumption (AUDIT-C) questionnaire and self-reported alcohol-related risks and consequences among veteran women. Method: Female outpatients from an urban Veterans Affairs facility were mailed annual surveys (1998-2000) (response rates: 65% Years 1 and 2, 55% Year 3). Measures were obtained from each respondent's first completed survey and included a gender-specific AUDIT-C (0-12 points), self-reported alcohol-related consequences, problem drinking or other drug use, and health risks. The prevalence of each outcome across AUDIT-C score groups (0, 1-2, 3, 4, 5-7, 8-12) was estimated using logistic regression, adjusting for age, race, and marital status. Results: Among 2,670 respondents, 23.7% screened positive for alcohol misuse (AUDIT-C ≥3). For three out of the five alcohol-related consequences (tolerance, blackouts, felt needed to cut down), adjusted prevalence increased at AUDIT-C scores of 3 or more. The remaining alcohol-related consequences (morning eye openers, family/friends worried) increased at scores of 4 or more, as did self-reported problem drinking or other drug use. Associations between health risks (two or more sexual partners, sexually transmitted diseases, injuries, domestic violence, hepatitis/cirrhosis) and AUDIT-C scores were less consistent, but prevalence generally increased at scores of 5 or more. Conclusions: Increasing scores on the AUDIT-C reflect increasing prevalence of self-reported alcohol-related risks and consequences among women. These results provide clinicians with gender-specific information on alcohol-related risks that could be incorporated into brief interventions. (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs, 73, 391-400, 2012).<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1937-1888
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -