Criterion validity of the Key Question for screening at-risk alcohol use in primary healthcare

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To perform criterion validation of the Key Question in Portuguese for screening at-risk alcohol use among users of Primary Healthcare services. METHOD This is a psychometric study conducted with users of a Primary Healthcare service located in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Participants responded to the Key Question which was applied in conjunction with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-C for concurrent validation and measurement of psychometric properties. RESULTS The sample consisted of 518 users. The Key Question presented 59% specificity and 99% sensitivity with respect to the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-C in the general population. The accuracy was 81% in relation to this instrument. There was no influence of sociodemographic variables such as gender on the psychometric properties of the Key Question. CONCLUSION The results indicate that the Key Question in Portuguese presented satisfactory psychometric qualities and suggest that its Portuguese version is as efficient for screening at-risk alcohol use as its reference standard, which subsidizes its use in Primary Healthcare.

Tratamento não farmacológico na síndrome de abstinência alcoólica: Revisão de literatura

“…Essa abordagem seria por meio de uma pergunta denominada questão-chave durante consultas ambulatoriais: "Quantas vezes no ano passado você bebeu mais 4-5 (5-homens/ 4-mulheres) doses de bebida no dia?". Para tanto, a aplicação dessa questãochave na atenção primária à saúde (APS) é mais sensível que específica e possui acurácia de 81%; a utilização dessa questão na APS apresenta vantagens por ser questão única, de fácil reprodução e alta sensibilidade para encontrar casos iniciais de alcoolismo 36 .…”