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Screening elderly veterans for alcoholism.

M B Moran·B J Naughton·S L Hughes
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the sensitivity and specificity of an alcoholism screening test not previously tested in the elderly. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study, face-to-face interviews. SETTING: Veterans Administration (VA) outpatient facility. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Men greater than or equal to 70 years old seeking care in a newly established VA outpatient facility were invited to participate in a health assessment program. Of 109 participants who enrolled, 96 completed both interviews. INTERVENTIONS: The screening test was administered by an internist as part of a medical history. The Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST), used as the "gold standard," was administered by a trained interviewer as part of a longer structured interview. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The screening test had a sensitivity of 0.52 and a specificity of 0.76 in this sample. CONCLUSIONS: The sensitivity and specificity of the screening test were lower in this sample in comparison with previously reported results in a younger population. Differences in the test performance may be related to differences in attitudes and drinking behaviors of elderly veterans when compared with those of younger men and women.

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Age FactorsAgedAged, 80 and overAlcoholismAmbulatory CareCross-Sectional StudiesEvaluation Studies as TopicFalse Negative ReactionsFalse Positive ReactionsFemaleHumansIllinoisMaleMedical History TakingPredictive Value of TestsVeteransComparative StudyJournal ArticleResearch Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

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M B Moran, B J Naughton, S L Hughes. Screening elderly veterans for alcoholism.. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02600408

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