ABSTRACT
ObjetivoValidar la parte subjetiva del cuestionario MALT (Münchner Alkoholismus Test) para el diagnóstico de alcoholismo en población adulta.DiseñoEstudio descriptivo de validación de un instrumento diagnóstico.EmplazamientoDos centros de atención primaria, un centro de drogodependencias y un centro de atención a alcohólicos, ubicados en la provincia de Córdoba, España.ParticipantesSeiscientos catorce pacientes con edades de entre 18 y 80 años.Mediciones principalesMediante entrevista personal se realizaron los cuestionarios MALT, AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) y el SCAN (Schedules for clinical assessment in Neuropsychiatry). Se analizó la fiabilidad interna, la reproducibilidad, la validez criterial (patrón de referencia: criterios del Manual Diagnóstico y Estadístico de los Trastornos Mentales IV [DSM-IV]) y la validez convergente.ResultadosLa edad media de la población fue de 43 años (desviación estándar de 1,43). El 17,4% presentó síndrome de dependencia alcohólica. Los coeficientes kappa de los ítems del test oscilaban entre 0,568 y 0,969. El alfa de Cronbach del MALT completo fue de 0,919; el alfa de Cronbach del MALT subjetivo fue de 0,939, y el alfa de Cronbach del MALT objetivo fue de 0,737. El área bajo la curva de eficacia diagnóstica para el MALT-S fue de 0,946 y para el MALT completo fue de 0,953. Para un punto de corte de 4, la sensibilidad del MALT-S fue del 92,6% y la especificidad fue del 90,8%. El coeficiente de correlación del MALT-S y del AUDIT fue de 0,86 (p<0,001).ConclusionesEl MALT subjetivo es un cuestionario tan válido y fiable como el MALT completo, por lo que puede ser utilizado aisladamente para la detección y el diagnóstico de alcoholismo(AU)
ObjectiveTo validate the subjective part of the MALT questionnaire (MALT-S) for the detection of alcoholism among the adult population.DesignA descriptive study on the validation of a diagnostic tool.SettingTwo primary health care centres, a centre for drug addicts and a centre for alcoholics in Cordoba (Spain).Participants614 patients, between 18 and 80 years.MeasurementsThrough personal interviews the MALT, AUDIT and SCAN questionnaires were given. The internal reliability, stability and both the criterion and convergent validity were analysed.ResultsThe mean age of the population was 43±1.43 (SD) years and 17.4% of them showed Alcohol Dependence Syndrome. The Kappa coefficients of the test items ranged from 0.568 to 0.969. The Cronbach alpha of the complete MALT was 0.919, of the MALT-S, 0.939 and of the MALT-O, 0.737. The area under the ROC curve of the MALT-S was 0.946 and that of the complete MALT was 0.953. For a cut-off point of four, the sensitivity of the MALT-S is 92.7% while its specificity was 90.9%. The correlation coefficient of the MALT-S and AUDIT was 0.86 (P<0.001).ConclusionsThe MALT-S questionnaire is as valid and reliable as the complete MALT; therefore, it can be used on its own for the diagnosis of alcoholism(AU)
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Alcoholism , Alcoholism/diagnosis , Alcoholism/prevention & control , Alcohol Drinking , Surveys and Questionnaires , Breath Tests , Substance-Related Disorders , Epidemiology, DescriptiveABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To validate the subjective part of the MALT questionnaire (MALT-S) for the detection of alcoholism among the adult population. DESIGN: A descriptive study on the validation of a diagnostic tool. SETTING: Two primary health care centres, a centre for drug addicts and a centre for alcoholics in Cordoba (Spain). PARTICIPANTS: 614 patients, between 18 and 80 years. MEASUREMENTS: Through personal interviews the MALT, AUDIT and SCAN questionnaires were given. The internal reliability, stability and both the criterion and convergent validity were analysed. RESULTS: The mean age of the population' was 43+/-1.43 (SD) years and 17.4% of them showed Alcohol Dependence Syndrome. The Kappa coefficients of the test items ranged from 0.568 to 0.969. The Cronbach alpha of the complete MALT was 0.919, of the MALT-S, 0.939 and of the MALT-O, 0.737. The area under the ROC curve of the MALT-S was 0.946 and that of the complete MALT was 0.953. For a cut-off point of four, the sensitivity of the MALT-S is 92.7% while its specificity was 90.9%. The correlation coefficient of the MALT-S and AUDIT was 0.86 (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The MALT-S questionnaire is as valid and reliable as the complete MALT; therefore, it can be used on its own for the diagnosis of alcoholism.
Subject(s)
Alcoholism/diagnosis , Surveys and Questionnaires , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Early detection of patients with alcohol problems is important in clinical practice. The AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) questionnaire is a valid tool for this aim, especially in the male population. The objective of this study was to validate how useful is this questionnaire in females patients and to assess their test cut-off point for the diagnosis of alcohol problems in women. PATIENTS AND METHOD: 414 woman were recruited in 2 health center and specialized center for addiction treatment. The AUDIT test and a semistructured interview (SCAN as gold standard) were performed to all patients. Internal consistency and criteria validity was assessed. RESULTS: Cronbach alpha was 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.921-0.941). When the DSM-IV was taken as reference the most useful cut-off point was 6 points, with 89.6% (95% CI, 76.11-96.02) sensitivity and 95.07% (95% CI, 92.18-96.97) specificity. When CIE-10 was taken as reference the sensitivity was 89.58% (95% CI, 76.56-96.10) and the specificity was 95.33% (95% CI, 92.48-97.17). CONCLUSIONS: AUDIT is a questionnaire with good psychometrics properties and is valid for detecting dependence and risk alcohol consumption in women.
Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking , Alcoholism/diagnosis , Surveys and Questionnaires , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Fundamento y objetivo: Es necesario disponer en la práctica clínica de cuestionarios breves para identificar tempranamente a pacientes con problemas relacionados con el consumo de alcohol. El cuestionario AUDIT (Alcohol use Disorders identification Test) es un instrumento que ha demostrado su validez, sobre todo entre la población masculina. El objetivo del presente estudio es validar su utilidad en las mujeres y el punto de corte más eficaz para esta población. Pacientes y método: Se incluyó a 414 mujeres reclutadas en 2 centros de salud y un centro de drogodependencias. Se administró el test AUDIT y se les realizó la entrevista semiestructurada SCAN (prueba de referencia). Se estimó la consistencia interna y la validez del criterio. Resultados: El alfa de Cronbach fue de 0,93 (intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95%, 0,921-0,941). El punto de corte más eficaz del test fue el de 6 puntos, con una sensibilidad del 89,6% (IC del 95%, 76,11-96,02) y una especificidad del 95,07% (IC del 95%, 92,18-96,97), tomando como referencia la DSM-IV. Si tomamos como criterio la CIE-10, la sensibilidad fue del 89,58% (IC del 95%;76,56-96,10) y la especificidad del 95,33% (IC del 95%, 92,48-97,17). Conclusiones: El AUDIT es un cuestionario con unas buenas propiedades psicométricas y válido para la detección del consumo de riesgo y dependencia en las mujeres
Background and objective: Early detection of patients with alcohol problems is important in clinical practice. The AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) questionnaire is a valid tool for this aim, especially in the male population. The objective of this study was to validate how useful is this questionnaire in females patients and to assess their test cutt-off point for the diagnosis of alcohol problems in women. Patients and method: 414 woman were recruited in 2 health center and specialized center for addiction treatment. The AUDIT test and a semistructrured interview (SCAN as gold standard) were performed to all patients. Internal consistence and criteria validity was assessed. Results: Cronbach alpha was 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.921-0.941). When the DSM-IV was taken as reference the most useful cutt-off point was 6 points, with 89.6% (95% CI, 76.11-96.02) sensitivity and 95.07% (95% CI, 92.18-96.97) specificity. When CIE-10 was taken as reference the sensitivity was 89.58% (95% CI, 76.56-96.10) and the specificity was 95.33% (95% CI, 92.48-97.17). Conclusions: AUDIT is a questionnaire with good psychometrics properties and is valid for detecting dependence and risk alcohol consumption in women
Subject(s)
Female , Adult , Aged , Adolescent , Middle Aged , Humans , Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology , Alcohol-Related Disorders/diagnosis , Substance Abuse Detection/instrumentation , Alcohol-Related Disorders/epidemiology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Sensitivity and Specificity , Epidemiology, Descriptive , Early DiagnosisABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Patients identified as risk drinkers usually fill a questionnaire in order to assess their alcohol dependence. In our setting, the Münchner Alkoholismus Test (MALT) has been recommended, but there are not enough data about its validity and accuracy, particularly in women. The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of this test in a female population. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: 414 woman were recruited in a Health Center and a Specialized Center for addiction treatment. MALT test and the Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) semistructured interview (gold standard; DSM-IV and CIE-10 criteria) were performed to all patients. Internal consistence, criteria validity and the most diagnostic efficacy cut-off point (ROC curves) were assessed. RESULTS: The MALT average (standard deviation) score of the whole sample was 3.98 (9.48) points (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.07-4.90). Cronbach alpha was 0.939 (95% CI, 0.931-0.947). With a score of 4 or more points, the test had 100% (95% CI, 98.9-100) sensitivity and 95.4% (95% CI, 95.2-95.5) specificity. CONCLUSIONS: The MALT test has an excellent internal reliability and extremely good diagnostic accuracy. It is very useful to detect alcohol dependence in women. A cut-off of 4 or more points is proposed.
Subject(s)
Alcoholism/diagnosis , Substance Abuse Detection/methods , Surveys and Questionnaires , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology , Alcohol Drinking/psychology , Alcoholism/epidemiology , Confidence Intervals , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Psychometrics , Reproducibility of Results , Sensitivity and Specificity , Sex Factors , Spain/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Fundamento y objetivo: Los pacientes identificados como bebedores de riesgo pueden ser candidatos al cribado de dependencia alcohólica a través de cuestionarios. Entre éstos, en nuestro medio se ha recomendado el Münchner Alkoholismus Test (MALT), aunque hay pocas evidencias sobre su validez y fiabilidad, sobre todo en mujeres. El objetivo del presente estudio es comprobar sus propiedades psicométricas en la población femenina. Sujetos y método: Se incluyó en el estudio a 414 mujeres reclutadas en 2 centros de salud y un centro comarcal de drogodependencias. Se les administró el test MALT y se les realizó la entrevista semiestructurada Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) (cuarta edición del Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders y décima edición de la Clasificación Internacional de Enfermedades). Se evaluaron la consistencia interna, la validez criterial y el punto de corte de mayor eficacia diagnóstica (curvas ROC). Resultados: En el total de la muestra se obtuvo una puntuación media (desviación estándar) con el MALT de 3,98 (9,48) puntos (intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95%, 3,07-4,90). El alfa de Cronbach fue de 0,939 (IC del 95%, 0,931-0,947). Con una puntuación de 4 o más, el cuestionario presenta una sensibilidad del 100% (IC del 95%, 98,9-100,0%) y una especificidad del 95,4% (IC del 95%, 95,2-95,5%). Conclusiones: Por su excelente fiabilidad interna y su extremada exactitud diagnóstica, el MALT es un instrumento de gran utilidad en las mujeres, y se propone como punto de corte el de 4 o más puntos
Background and objective: Patients identified as risk drinkers usually fill a questionnaire in order to assess their alcohol dependence. In our setting, the Münchner Alkoholismus Test (MALT) has been recommended, but there are not enough data about its validity and accuracy, particularly in women. The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of this test in a female population. Subjects and method: 414 woman were recruited in a Health Center and a Specialized Center for addiction treatment. MALT test and the Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) semistructured interview (gold standard; DSM-IV and CIE-10 criteria) were performed to all patients. Internal consistence, criteria validity and the most diagnostic efficacy cutt-off point (ROC curves) were assessed. Results: The MALT average (standard deviation) score of the whole sample was 3.98 (9.48) points (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.07-4.90). Cronbach alpha was 0.939 (95% CI, 0.931-0.947). With a score of 4 or more points, the test had 100% (95% CI, 98.9-100) sensitivity and 95.4% (95% CI, 95.2-95.5) specificity. Conclusions: The MALT test has an excellent internal reliability and extremely good diagnostic accuracy. It is very useful to detect alcohol dependence in women. A cut-off of 4 or more points is proposed
