Iranian Journal of

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Background & Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine age, period, and cohort effects on trend of alcohol and drug use in the students of Tehran University of Medical Sciences from 2006 to 2009.

Methods: Between 2006 and 2009, the students of Tehran University of Medical Sciences were surveyed annually using a structured self-administered and anonymous questionnaire. Intrinsic estimator, which is a new method for resolving linear dependency between age, period, and cohort in linear regression models, was used for data analysis.

Results: In the present study, in the descriptive method, the prevalence of alcohol consumption increased in males and females with an increase in age. The prevalence of illicit drug use was higher in 2007 in comparison with other periods for males and females. In the analytical method (intrinsic estimator), there were no age, period and cohort effects for alcohol and drug use for females. For males, the age effect exhibited an increasing-decreasing-increasing trend and period and cohort effects showed a decreasing trend for alcohol use. As for drug use, the age effect exhibited gradual increases. The period effect displayed an increasing-decreasing trend and the cohort effect exhibited an increasing-decreasing-increasing trend.

Conclusion: The IE method showed no age, period and cohort effects for alcohol and drug use in females. The prevalence of drug and alcohol use increased with an increase in age in males. The high prevalence of drug use could be due to easy accessibility and low price of drugs.

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Background and Objectives: People with high risk alcohol use disorders are influenced by behaviors that have devastating consequences for them and those around them. The main objective for alcohol screening is to identify people with alcohol use disorders, or people who are at high risk for progression to these disorders. Several screening tools have been designed for this purpose. The aim of this study was to introduce and review important screening tools for identification of alcohol use disorders and problems in the world.
Methods: In this narrative review study, we searched the Web of Science (ISI), PubMed, and Scopus databases using Alcohol, Tools or Instruments, Test, Problem, Use and Use disorder as keywords for finding screening tools for identification of alcohol use problems and disorders. Finally, 10 instruments were introduced.
Results: The most common screening tools for identification of alcohol use disorders and problems were Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), CAGE, Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST), as well as T-ACE and TWEAK that are specifically used for evaluation of alcohol consumption in pregnant women. The short forms of the AUDIT, RAPS, POSIT, and CRAFFT are other tests for alcohol consumption.
Conclusion: Several screening tools have been designed for identification of alcohol use disorders and problems; therefore, n appropriate screening test should be selected and implemented with regards to the purpose of screening, research questions, and study population.