[An analysis of the responses to the Cage test obtained among young people from a rural area]

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to detect alcoholism problems among the young population, using the CAGE test.

Design: Transversal descriptive study. SITE. Work developed with high school students (BUP and COU) from a rural context in Aragón.

Patients and other participants: Random sample of 1,012 students, ordered by gender and academic course (57.9% female, age average 16 +/- 1.3 years old).

Interventions: The CAGE test was answered in written and anonymous way.

Main measurements and results: 368 students (36.5%) obtained scores. 1. Among them, 159 (15.7%) scored 2. The prevalence of alcoholism was greater in male students (p = 0.01). The test shows false positivity in 7 sober people. Youngsters with high scores presented higher risk of suffering a traffic accident (p = 0.001).

Conclusions: Because of the psychological peculiarities of the teenagers CAGE test might have some reliability disturbances. In any case, the results show the existence of an important number of young people in the rural site with problems related to alcohol (although not necessarily linked to physical dependence.