ABSTRACT
The 1994 research proposal to the US National Institutes of Health stated the objective: The goals of this study are to produce and validate a brief questionnaire, consisting of no more than five items, that screens conjointly for alcohol and drug abuse among primary care patients of diverse gender and race. In Phase I, focus groups of professionals, previous substance abusers, and current substance abusers will suggest and critique potential questionnaire items. In Phase 2, the discriminant validity of up to twenty questionnaire items will be assessed initially on 300 known substance abusers in treatment and 300 nonabusers in primary care practices. Owing to practical constraints our samples at Phase 2, as collected in 1995, finally consisted of 190 substance abusers attending one of three substance abuse treatment centres in Madison and 323 nonabusers in primary care in one of three clinics.
