Screening for hazardous drinking. Using the CAGE and measures of alcohol consumption in family practice

Abstract

Objective: To determine the drinking practices of a family practice population, to examine the CAGE and questions about drinking as a method of screening for hazardous alcohol use, and to examine the relationship between alcohol consumption and CAGE items, particularly in a subgroup of hazardous drinkers.

Design: Random survey of patients representative of a clinic population.

Setting: Family practice clinic.

Patients: Of 1420 patients approached while waiting to see a family physician for medical reasons, 1376 agreed to participate; 1334 turned in usable questionnaires.

Main outcome measures: Drinking measures and CAGE items; CAGE questions and levels of alcohol use were used to determine current drinking practices. A subgroup of hazardous drinkers was examined in greater detail.

Results: Forty percent of male patients and 11% of female patients reported at least one "hazardous" drinking (four or more drinks) day in the past month. Answering yes to CAGE items was more specific to drinking for male subjects, who also reported a greater number of maximum drinks with a CAGE score of 2 or more.

Conclusions: This brief questionnaire was a feasible tool for identifying family practice patients who could be at risk for developing alcohol problems. All patients could be invited to complete the questionnaire while waiting for their appointments.