The alcoholism screening test assesses the likelihood of having problems with alcohol, including: alcohol addiction or problem drinking. Although it is not possible to make a definitive diagnosis based on the test results, it is very useful, especially if it is carried out among adolescents, students and also pregnant women.

Alcoholism screening testis performed to identify people who may or may not have problem drinking, have symptoms of hazardous and harmful drinking, and be addicted to alcohol.Alcoholism screening test(the so-called screening test) is only auxiliary - it significantly facilitates the diagnosis of alcoholism and can be the basis for alcohol prophylaxis, therefore, based on its results, it is not possible to final diagnosis.

What is the Alcohol Screening Test?

The examined person is given a test with questions that are important for the diagnosis of alcohol problems. When the test result is positive and indicates that the test subject is likely to have an alcohol problem, the doctor can make a more accurate diagnosis.

Types of alcohol screening tests

Alcoholism screening testsusually consist of a few or a dozen questions. However, both the doctor and the patient do not always have time to conduct it. When time is limited, the doctor may ask one question: During ONE social gathering, pub visit (or any other occasion to drink alcohol), in the last 3 months, have you had more than 5 drinks containing alcohol? According to a study by American scientists, this question allows us to identify people who meet the criteria for risky drinking or alcohol abuse or addiction.

Another short, simple and effectivealcoholism testis theCAGEtest, consisting of 4 questions.

This will be useful to you

Alcoholism Screening Test - CAGE Test

C(fromcut down- reduce, reduce) Have you ever felt that you should limit the amount of alcohol you drink? A(fromannoyed- upset) Do you get irritated by people who criticize your drinking?G(from felt guilty- feeling guilty) Have you ever felt bad or guilty about drinking?E Eye opener: Have you ever drunk in the morning to calm your nerves or get rid of a hangover? Just one positive answer means that the test is positive and you can suspect alcohol problems.

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However, the most recommended test by the World He alth Organization (WHO)for the diagnosis of alcoholismis theAUDIT(Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) ), containing 10 questions. It makes it possible to identify people who have alcohol problems but are not necessarily addicted to alcohol. The AUDIT test consists of questions concerning, among others, the amount and frequency of drinking alcohol, as well as binge drinking.

Other well-known tests for alcoholism are theMAST(25-question Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test),SAAST(35- Self-Administered Alcoholism Screening Test),B altimorski Test(19 questions) andWoronowicz Test(20 questions).

There are also tests designed to study a specific group of people, incl.alcoholism tests for adolescents,such asYAAPST(Young Adult Alcohol Problems Screening) andPOSIT(Problem -Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers), which contains 14 questions about not only drinking alcohol, but also the use of other psychoactive substances.

In turn, in diagnosingalcohol problems among studentsis the CAPS-r (College Alcohol Problems Scale-revised) test,RAPI( Rutgers Alkohol Problem Index) and the aforementioned AUDIT.

Alcohol consumption by pregnant womendetectsTWEAK testandT-ACE- 4-question questionnaire based on CAGE. T-ACE is helpful in determining drinking levels, including current alcohol consumption by pregnant women, and risky drinking before pregnancy (defined as more than 2 drinks in one day). This test has been tested in many different maternity units in American hospitals, therefore its effectiveness has been proven.

Adapted from: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Category:

Psychology