Can Accurate Drinking Histories be Obtained from Psychiatric Patients by a Nurse Conducting Screening Interviews?

Abstract

SummaiyThree hundred and eighty-five psychiatric patients were screerud by a nurse for atcohot-retated problems, and a representative 112 were re-interviewed in a 'blind'fashion by a psychiatrist using either (a) the same screening interview, or (b) a muck more detaited history schedute. Retiabitity measures between the two screening interviews were high for atcohot consumption as wett as the Brief MAST, CAGE, and Reich tests. Simitarty the more detaited 'validity' interview produced closety correlated estimates of atcohot consumption. Agreement was tess good for women than men and for drinking in the month, as opposed to theyear, before admission. The Brief MAST, CAGE, or Reich screening tests could usefiitty be incorporated into the routine nursing interview at first contact with psychiatric patients.

Systematic Evaluation of Psychometric Characteristics of the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test 13‐Item Short (SMAST) and 10‐Item Brief (BMAST) Versions

“…In the nonclinical samples ( j = 3; Lehavot & Simoni, 2011; Underwood, 2002; Willenbring et al, 1987), with a combined sample size of 1,526, internal consistency was .71. A single BMAST study (Bernadt, Mumford, & Murray, 1984; N = 371) of test–retest reliability was located and reported data for a 5‐day timeframe, yielding r tt = .71. One BMAST study (Pokorny et al, 1972; N = 122) reported unit scoring versus weighted scoring procedures, yielding a correlation of .99.…”

“…Bernadt et al (1984) was the only study ( N = 122) that presented test–retest reliability for the BMAST. Using a 5‐day timeframe, the study yielded a reliability coefficient of .71.…”

Explaining inconsistencies between patients and collaterals: validity in outcome studies of coercive alcoholism treatment

“…In screening and outcome studies, interviews have been compared to self-administered questionnaires. No conclusive evidence has been produced indicating any greater validity of either method (Ulrich, 1981;Skinner & Allen, 1983;Duffy & Waterton, 1984;Bernadt et al, 1984). However, because of this shortcoming we could not determine whether the subject was intoxicated when he or she filled in' the form.…”

Can a Computer Reliably Elicit an Alcohol History?

“…The psychiatrist (Author OD) interviewed 49 patients, a mode of 2 days after the nurse. The interview format and content have been described in detail elsewhere (Bernadt et al, 1984). Briefly the interview elicits:-(1) Alcohol consumption in terms of a volumevariability index which tells of the number of drinks per day (volume; volume=quantity X frequency) and of 'bout drinking', i.e.…”