Comparing Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) with Timeline Follow Back (TLFB), DSM-5 and Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) for the assessment of alcohol misuse among young people in Ugandan fishing communities.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Validated tools for assessing alcohol use among young people in low-income countries are needed to estimate prevalence and evaluate alcohol-reduction interventions. We validated Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) against Timeline Follow Back (TLFB), Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and phosphatidylethanol (PEth); and the 30-day-AUDIT against the 12-months-AUDIT among young Ugandans.

Methods

In 2018, we collected retrospective data on 30-day and 12-month AUDIT, TLFB and DSM-5 in a cross-sectional study of 15-24?year old residents of Ugandan fishing communities. AUDIT was administered by Audio Computer Assisted Self-Interviewing (ACASI) and DSM-5 and TLFB by psychiatric nurses. We determined PEth16:0/18:1 levels from dried blood spots using liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (heavy usage, ?210?ng/mL) and calculated sensitivity and specificity of AUDIT against the other measures.

Results

Among 1281 participants (52.7% male, mean age 20?years), half (n?=?659; 51.4%) reported ever drinking alcohol, 19.4% had 12-month-AUDIT???8 (21.5% men; 17.0% women), and 24.2% had 30-day-AUDIT???8 (29.0% men; 18.9% women). Twenty percent of participants had detectable PEth with 55 (4.3%) classified as heavy drinkers; 50.7% reported???2 symptoms on DSM-5 and 6.3% reported binge drinking in the previous month based on TLFB (8.9% men, 3.5% women). The 30-day-AUDIT???8 had sensitivity 86.7%, 95%CI: 81.8%-90.7% and specificity 90.9%, 95%CI:89.0%-92.6% versus 12-month-AUDIT???8. Both 30-day and 12-month-AUDIT???8 were sensitive and specific markers of heavy drinking by PEth (12-month-AUDIT sensitivity?=?80.0%; 95%CI:67.0%-89.6%; specificity?=?83.3%; 95%CI:81.1%-85.3%). The 30-day-AUDIT was a sensitive and specific marker of binge drinking based on TLFB (sensitivity?=?82.7%; 95%CI:72.7%-90.2%, specificity?=?79.8%; 95%CI:77.4%-82.1%); 12-month-AUDIT had lower sensitivity. Both 30-day and 12-month AUDIT???8 were highly specific but insensitive markers of having DSM-5???2 symptoms.

Conclusion

Among young people in Uganda, ACASI-administered 30-day and 12-month-AUDIT have good diagnostic properties compared to PEth, DSM-5 and TLFB. Self-reported AUDIT provides a quick and valid means of assessing alcohol misuse in these communities.

SUBMITTER: Kuteesa MO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6888770 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature