In February 2020, adaptation and validation of The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) in primary health care (PHC) settings was completed in the Russian Federation. The developed version of the test was named RUS-AUDIT. Based on RUS-AUDIT test questions, a short version of the RUS-AUDIT-S (Short) test was created during statistical analysis. The project results allow replacing the AUDIT and AUDIT-C tests used in the Russian Federation with the adapted and validated RUS-AUDIT and RUS-AUDIT-S, but only after the validation of the short version of the self-reporting test since AUDIT-C is used as a questionnaire for periodic screening and preventive medical examination in primary care facilities of the Russian Federation.
OBJECTIVE
To validate the RUS-AUDIT-S self-reporting test by comparing the results of alcohol consumption-related disorder risk assessment using the RUS-AUDIT-S test at interview and self-completion.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The study was carried out at the Clinical and Diagnostic Center of the National Medical Research Center for Therapy and Preventive Medicine of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Center) from October to December of 2021. The study included patients who had consumed alcoholic drinks within the last 12 months. The study was performed by two researchers using a standardized scenario. Patients waiting for healthcare services were invited to participate in the study. If a patient provided verbal consent to participate, the interviewer used a number generator to randomize patients. Depending on the number generated, patients were interviewed using one of the two formats of the RUS-AUDIT-S: either the standardized interview or the self-report. After completing the interview, the patient was asked a series of cognitive questions. Statistical procedures included descriptive statistical analysis, Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and the Cronbach α. Transcription and coding of all patient responses to the cognitive questions were performed in Microsoft Excel.
RESULTS
The study included 100 patients from the Center, 43% of whom were women. The analysis of the cognitive questions showed that most patients (n=63%) did not have difficulty understanding the questions and answers contained in the RUS-AUDIT-S in either the standardized interview or self-report format. However, some patients (n=37) mentioned issues. Most commonly, patients noted having difficulty with the meaning of the term trauma as used in the self-report format (5%), while in the interview form, they noted the wordiness of the first question (11%), a lack of clarity regarding the meaning of the word trauma (4%), and difficulty in recalling the frequency of their alcohol consumption (4%). After conducting a study with 69 patients and summarizing the preliminary results of answers to the cognitive questions, the researchers changed the second question of the RUS-AUDIT-S in the self-report format. They added an explanation regarding the meaning of the trauma term. The next 31 patients filled in an updated version of the RUS-AUDIT-S. The results of the statistical analysis, in particular the calculation of median values and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, showed no difference between the results received from the standardized interview and the self-reported formats of the RUS-AUDIT-S. The Cronbach α of the self-reported form was 0.864, which confirms its high internal consistency.
CONCLUSION
The RUS-AUDIT-S test is understandable for patients, internally consistent, reliable, and it can be recommended for use in the self-reported format in PHC.
