Drinking habits and detection of heavy drinking among middle‐aged women

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Abstract
Little is known about alcohol consumption and the efficiency of alcohol questionnaires among women. In the present study 40‐year‐old (n= 90) and 45‐year‐old (n= 75) women participating in a health screening gave a self‐report about their alcohol consumption and filled out the Malmö modified Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (Mm‐MAST) and the CAGE questionnaires. Teetotallers comprised 11% of the 40‐year‐old group and 8% of the 45‐year‐old women. CAGE, but not Mm‐MAST ‐worked with the traditional cut‐off point of two recommended for men. When the criterion for heavy drinking was a self‐reported consumption ≥140g of absolute alcohol per week or a positive (≥ 2) finding in the CAGE or ≥4 ‘yes’ answers in the Mm‐MAST, 20% of the 40‐year‐old and 17% of the 45‐year‐old group (together 19%) proved positive. Neither of the two questionnaires nor self‐report atone worked perfectly for identifying eke heavy drinker group (n = 3l) screened. Using the three above criteria; of the heavy drinkers 52% were detected by self‐report, 55% by CAGE, and 45% by Mm‐MAST. CAGE in combination with self‐report detected 90% and this combination, being short and simple, can be recommended for clinical practice.