Biomedical subjects

K L Barry

Publications and source records attributed to K L Barry.

39 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

A study examining the psychometric properties of the SMAST-13.

The psychometric properties of the Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (SMAST-13), a 13-question abbreviated form of the MAST, were determined on two samples of alcoholics, with their nonalcoholic family members serving as controls. The study hypothesized that the SMAST-13 has a low specificity when used to screen family members for alcohol problems and would exhibit a low internal reliability coefficient in this population. All participants were interviewed using DSM-III criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence. Only family members who failed to meet these criteria were enrolled in the study. When a weighted cut-off score of 5 or more was used as a positive score for alcohol problems, the sensitivity was .98 in Sample A and .94 in Sample B. Utilizing the scores of the family members as controls, the specificity was .58 in Sample A and .70 in Sample B. The internal reliability of the SMAST-13, using Chronbach's alpha on the total sample, produced a reliability coefficient of r = .57 in Sample A and r = .62 in Sample B. To determine if the specificity of the SMAST-13 could be improved, the weighted cut-off score for a positive response was raised from 5 to 10. In Sample A, the specificity changed from .58 to .90 and the sensitivity dropped slightly from .98 to .92. In sample B, the specificity increased from .70 to .95; the sensitivity decreased from .95 to .85. Suggestions for changing the wording of two questions which explain the majority of the false positives are discussed. Epidemiological studies which have used the SMAST-13 to estimate the prevalence of alcohol problems in family members of alcoholics may need to reconsider their methods of classifying alcoholics.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Computerized administration of alcoholism screening tests in a primary care setting.

This study compared the use of computerized versus paper-and-pencil administration of three commonly employed alcohol screening tests--the Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (SMAST-13), CAGE (an acronym for four questions to discern problem drinking), and a quantity-frequency scale. These instruments were administered to 280 adults receiving health care in three primary care clinics in south-central Wisconsin. One hundred forty patients were randomly assigned to complete these instruments on a Macintosh SE, and 140 were assigned to the paper-and-pencil versions. Patients were classified as alcoholic based on responses to the Diagnostic Interview Schedule and DSM-III criteria. Results indicated the sensitivity and specificity of these instruments were similar for the two methods of administration. The sensitivity of the SMAST-13 was 0.56 for computer administration and 0.58 for the pencil-and-paper form. The findings suggest that computer administration of these instruments is at least as effective as use of the standard pencil-and-paper method. The data show that computers can be used for direct entry of information by patients, avoiding separate coding of paper-and-pencil information into a computerized format for clinical systems that use system-wide computerization of medical information.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Widowhood: a review of the social and medical implications.

Widowed women in America are a rapidly growing and expanding proportion of the population. This article reviews important research on the social changes, family relationships, and health risks associated with widowhood from the perspective of providing background for teachers of family medicine and suggesting research directions in this area. Since research indicates widowed women utilize outpatient and inpatient services more often than married individuals of either sex, family physicians have the opportunity to assist women who are facing the changes associated with the death of a life partner.

Adaptation, Psychological↗