ABSTRACT
Abstract Background Considering the physical, mental and behavioral problems related to fetal alcohol exposure, prenatal clinical guides suggest a brief evaluation of alcohol consumption during pregnancy to detect alcohol intake and to adjust interventions, if required. Even if any alcohol use should be considered risky during pregnancy, identifying women with alcohol use disorders is important because they could need a more specific intervention than simple advice to abstain. Most screening tests have been developed and validated in male populations and focused on the long-term consequences of heavy alcohol use, so they might be inappropriate to assess consumption in pregnant women. Objective To analyze the internal reliability and validity of the alcohol screening instruments Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Alcohol Use Disorders IdentificationTest- Consumption (AUDIT-C), Tolerance, Worried, Eye-Opener, Amnesia and Cut-Down (TWEAK), Rapid Alcohol Problems Screen - Quantity Frequency (RAPSQF) and Tolerance, Annoyed, Cut-Down and Eye-Opener (T-ACE) to identify alcohol use disorders in pregnant women. Methods A total of 641 puerperal women were personally interviewed during the 48 hours after delivery. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves and the sensitivity and specificity of each instrument using different cut-off points were analyzed. Results All instruments showed areas under the ROC curves above 0.80. Larger areas were found for the TWEAK and the AUDIT. The TWEAK, the T-ACE and the AUDIT-C showed higher sensitivity, while the AUDIT and the RAPS-QF showed higher specificity. Reliability (internal consistency) was low for all instruments, improving when optimal cut-off points were used, especially for the AUDIT, the AUDIT-C and the RAPS-QF. Conclusions In other cultural contexts, studies have concluded that T-ACE and TWEAK are the best instruments to assess pregnant women. In contrast, our results evidenced the low reliability of those instruments and a better performance of the AUDIT in this population.
Resumo Introdução Considerando os problemas físicos, mentais e comportamentais relacionados à exposição fetal ao álcool, as orientações clínicas pré-natais sugerem uma breve avaliação do consumo de álcool durante a gravidez para detectar o consumo de álcool e ajustar as intervenções, se necessário. Ainda que qualquer uso de álcool deva ser considerado arriscado durante a gravidez, identificar as mulheres com transtornos de uso de álcool é importante, porque elas podem precisar de uma intervenção mais específica do que um simples conselho para se abster. A maioria dos testes de triagem tem sido desenvolvidos e validados em populações masculinas, e estão focados nas consequências em longo prazo do uso excessivo de álcool, de modo que eles podem ser inadequados para avaliar o consumo em mulheres grávidas. Objetivo Analisar a confiabilidade e a validade internas dos instrumentos de triagem de álcool Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test - Consumption (AUDIT-C), Tolerance, Worried, Eye-Opener, Amnesia and Cut-Down (TWEAK), Rapid Alcohol Problems Screen - Quantity Frequency (RAPS-QF) e Tolerance, Annoyed, Cut-Down and Eye-Opener (T-ACE) para identificar transtornos por uso de álcool em mulheres grávidas. Método Um total de 641 puérperas foram entrevistadas pessoalmente durante as 48 horas após o parto. As curvas receiver operating characteristic (ROC), a sensibilidade e a especificidadede cada instrumento foramanalisadas utilizandodiferentespontosde corte. Resultados Todos os instrumentos mostraram áreas sob as curvas ROC acima de 0.80. Foram encontradas áreas maiores para o TWEAK e para o AUDIT. O TWEAK, o TACE e o AUDIT-C apresentaram maior sensibilidade, enquanto o AUDIT e o RAPS-QF apresentaram maior especificidade. A confiabilidade (consistência interna) foi baixa para todos os instrumentos, melhorando quando foram utilizados pontos de corte ótimos, especialmente para o AUDIT, o AUDIT-C e o RAPS-QF. Conclusões em outros contextos culturais, estudos concluíram que o T-ACE e o TWEAK são os melhores instrumentos para avaliar mulheres grávidas. Em contrapartida, nossos resultados evidenciaram baixa confiabilidade desses instrumentos e melhor desempenho do AUDIT nessa população.
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Pregnancy , Adolescent , Adult , Young Adult , Pregnancy Complications/diagnosis , Alcoholism/diagnosis , Self Report , Argentina , Psychometrics , Reproducibility of ResultsABSTRACT
Objetivo: diversos estudios señalan un déficit y una demanda de información entre distintos profesionales de la salud en relación con las características de los trastornos vinculados a la exposición prenatal al alcohol y su prevención. Este documento busca hacer una reflexión sobre los aspectos más relevantes por considerar en la detección y el manejo del consumo de alcohol durante la gestación.Materiales y métodos: con base en la revisión de la evolución histórica de la investigación sobre los trastornos vinculados a la exposición prenatal al alcohol se da respuesta a las siguientes preguntas: 1) ¿Cuáles son los criterios diagnósticos actuales de los trastornos del espectro alcohólico fetal (TEAF)?, 2) ¿cuál es la prevalencia del síndrome de alcoholismo fetal (SAF) y otros TEAF?, 3) ¿cuál ha sido la evolución de las recomendaciones internacionales respecto al consumo de alcohol durante la gestación?, 4) ¿qué estrategias de prevención existen actualmente? Para esto se realiza una extensa revisión de la investigación publicada a nivel internacional.Resultados: la investigación moderna respecto a la exposición prenatal al alcohol evidencia que esta puede dar lugar a un amplio espectro de problemas. Las dificultades para establecer una dosis de alcohol segura durante la gestación han conducido a la modificación progresiva de las recomendaciones respecto del consumo durante este periodo, desde el consumo moderado hasta la abstinencia.Conclusión: el impacto y la magnitud de esta problemática exigen el desarrollo de planes de prevención específicos. Su implementación demanda la formación continua de los profesionales que trabajan en cuidados periconcepcionales y perinatales.
Objective: Several studies point to a lack of information together with greater demand from healthcare providers regarding the characteristics of disorders associated with prenatal exposure to alcohol, and ways to prevent them. This paper is aimed at prompting reflection on the most relevant aspects that need to be considered in the detection and management of alcohol use during pregnancy.Materials and methods: The following questions may be answered from a review of the historical evolution of the research related to disorders associated with prenatal exposure to alcohol: 1. Which are the current diagnostic criteria of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)? 2. What is the prevalence of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and other FASD? 3. How have international recommendations on alcohol use during pregnancy evolved? 4. What are the current prevention strategies? An extensive review of the international published research is conducted for this purpose.Results: Modern research on the topic reveals that prenatal exposure to alcohol may give rise to a wide spectrum of problems. The difficulty in establishing a safe dose of alcohol during pregnancy has resulted in a progressive revision of the recommendations regarding alcohol use during this period, ranging from moderate use to abstinence.Conclusion: The impact and size of this problem require the development of specific preventive strategies. Their implementation requires continuous training of practitioners charged with providing periconceptional and perinatal care.