206663 Comparing diary and summary measures of alcohol use in a sample of heavy drinking men in Goa, India

Tuesday, November 10, 2009: 12:48 PM

Jason Bond, PhD , Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, Emeryville, CA
Madhabika Nayak, PhD , Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, Emeryville, CA
Thomas Greenfield, PhD , Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, Emeryville, CA
Vikram Patel , Nutrition and Public Health Intervention Research Unit, Mental Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Goa, India
Careful assessment of heavy drinking is particularly important in India as about half male drinkers meet criteria for heavy use (Benegal, 2005; Nayak et al, 2008). Survey consumption results have previously not been validated against rapid-recall measures such as daily diaries. As part of a larger population survey, male hazardous drinkers from Goa, India (n=56) completed detailed surveys assessing past-year alcohol use and 28-day daily drinking diaries. Survey measures included usual drinking quantity and frequency (QF) and a detailed beverage-specific Graduated Frequencies (Proportional GF) measure maximum quantity (accounting for beverage types, strength and sizes) and its frequency, then frequencies of "about 3/4", 1/2, and 1/4 this amount. Survey and diary drinks per drinking day correlated 0.67, with diaries giving 1/2 standard drink larger volumes (5.6 grams/drinking day, NS). Correlation between the GF- and diary-based volumes was 0.57), with GF volume slightly higher (3.7 grams/day, NS). Proportion of drinking days from the GF, usual frequency, and diary measure had lower correlations (rho = .30, .39, respectively). The GF yielded the largest drinking frequency (proportion of days drinking), then diary and usual frequency (GF 6.2% more; usual 1.6% less). GF yielded a slightly lower maximum (2.5 grams less, NS; rho = .54), with diary amounts largest. Overall, the Proportional GF measure is efficient and reasonably validated by the intensive daily diaries. Those meeting AUDIT Hazardous Drinking criteria gave higher GF maximums and quantities than in the shorter diaries, suggesting GF may specially well assess 12-month alcohol consumption among heaviest, more problematic drinkers.

Learning Objectives:
Evaluate the relationship between survey measures and daily diary measures of alcohol consumption of male drinkers in India. Identify promising survey measures for use in countries lacking standard drink definitions

Keywords: Alcohol Use, Alcohol Problems

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I was the lead Biostatistician on the Project
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.