Prevalence of alcohol dependence and abuse in a general hospital; Sensitivity and specificity of Mast

Abstract

Aim: Alcohol abuse and dependence is an important public health concern in most countries. It is also a big problem among the hospitalized patients. Method: This study was undertaken to determine the number of the patients with alcohol related problems in a general hospital sample, to compare the prevalence rate among clinics, to determine the sensitivity and specificity of MAST (Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test) for an inpatient sample. The data were collected from 13 inpatient clinics of Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital. Result: A sample of 800 patients was enrolled in the study. 60 patients were (%7,5) diagnosed alcohol addiction and 11 were (%1,4) diagnosed as alcohol abuse. Alcohol addiction was most common in gastroenterology clinic. MAST sensitivity and specificity were found 0,74 and 0,98 respectively. Conclusion: MAST might be a useful instrument for screening alcohol related problems in a general hospital setting.