Bertol E, Vaiano F, Boscolo-Berto R, Fioravanti A, Palumbo D, Catalani V, Mari F, Patussi V, Serpelloni G. Alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine consumption in adolescents: hair analysis versus self-report.
THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2016;
43:341-349. [PMID:
27588338 DOI:
10.1080/00952990.2016.1216556]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Clinical reliability of self-reported data for alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine consumptions is lacking, particularly in adolescents.
OBJECTIVES
To compare a self-report questionnaire and hair analysis to assess the reliability and effectiveness of the self-report.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study on 14-15-year-old Italian students (n = 874, 38% males, 62% females) was performed comparing self-reported data to hair analysis. The latter quantified hair concentrations of caffeine, nicotine, cotinine, ethyl glucuronide (EtG), and fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) using mass spectrometry.
RESULTS
Concordance between self-report and hair testing ranged from good to poor across substances and levels of use: poor for heavy alcohol intake (EtG: k = 0.36, 20 positive cases by hair analysis, false negative by self-report, 2.3% of total sample; FAEE k = 0.31, 25 positive cases, 2.9% of total sample); fair to poor for active smokers (k = 0.40, 125 positive cases, 14.3% of total sample); and moderate for caffeine (k = 0.57, 56 positive cases, 6.4% of total sample).
CONCLUSIONS
Epidemiological studies on alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine consumption in adolescents may benefit from the inclusion of toxicological analysis on hair samples to overcome the under-reporting phenomenon of questionnaires and detect more cases of problematic substance use.
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