The validity of the CAGE scale to screen for heavy drinking problems in a general population survey : research report / Jocelyn Bisson, Louise Nadeau & Andrée Demers. - In Addiction. - Vol. 94, n. 5 (mag. 1999), p. 715-722
Abstract: Background: The CAGE scale is a short test developed in the 1970s to screen for alcoholism or covert drinking problems. The reability and validity of the scale has been demonstrated in the majority of stadies conducted in clinical settings, but
    the validity of the scale in general population surveys has not yet been shown conclusively. Aims: The goal of this study was to assess the criterion validity of the CAGE scale in a general population survey. Method: Data from a large general health
    survey conducted in 1992 in the province of Quebec (Canada) (N=23564) were used to define various measures of heavy drinking and drinking problems and to calculate, for male and female drinkers separately, standard measures of sensitivity,
    specificity and positive predictive value at different cutoff scores on the CAGE. Findings: With respect to both male and female drinkers, with all operational definitions of heavy drinking and useful cutoff scores on the CAGE, the scale was shown to
    be unable to discriminate between heavy drinkers and non-heavy drinkers. Prevalence of drinking problems among CAGE positive drinkers was also very low. Conclusions: The results do not support the use of the CAGE as a screening tool for heavy
    drinking and drinking problems in a general population survey or as a tool to estimate the prevalence of drinking problems in the general population. 
Altri nomi.: Bisson, Jocelyn
             Nadeau, Louise
             Demers, Andrée
             Université de Montreal, Montréal. Health and prevention social research group (GRASP)
             Université de Montréal. Departement de psychologie
Soggetto...: Alcolismo - Diagnosi [per mezzo del] - CAGE - Canada
             Canada
Lingua.....: ENG inglese
Paese......: CA Canada
Biblioteca.: DEVOTO
     - Coll: ALC
Database...: DEVO
Tipo mat...: AS Analitico di periodico
Record.....: DEV002836
MFN........: 004079