Authors: Goodyear-Smith, Felicity¹; Coupe, Nicole M²; Arroll, Bruce¹; Elley, C Raina¹; Sullivan, Sean³; McGill, Anne-Thea¹

Source: British Journal of General Practice, Volume 58, Number 546, January 2008 , pp. 26-31(6)

Publisher: Royal College of General Practitioners

Abstract:

Background

Primary care is accessible and ideally placed for case finding of patients with lifestyle and mental health risk factors and subsequent intervention. The short self-administered Case-finding and Help Assessment Tool (CHAT) was developed for lifestyle and mental health assessment of adult patients in primary health care. This tool checks for tobacco use, alcohol and other drug misuse, problem gambling, depression, anxiety and stress, abuse, anger problems, inactivity, and eating disorders. It is well accepted by patients, GPs and nurses.

Aim

To assess criterion-based validity of CHAT against a composite gold standard.

Design of study

Conducted according to the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy statement for diagnostic tests.

Setting

Primary care practices in Auckland, New Zealand.

Method

One thousand consecutive adult patients completed CHAT and a composite gold standard. Sensitivities, specificities, positive and negative predictive values, and likelihood ratios were calculated.

Results

Response rates for each item ranged from 79.6 to 99.8%. CHAT was sensitive and specific for almost all issues screened, except exercise and eating disorders. Sensitivity ranged from 96% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 87 to 99%) for major depression to 26% (95% CI = 22 to 30%) for exercise. Specificity ranged from 97% (95% CI = 96 to 98%) for problem gambling and problem drug use to 40% (95% CI = 36 to 45%) for exercise. All had high likelihood ratios (3-30), except exercise and eating disorders.

Conclusion

CHAT is a valid and acceptable case-finding tool for most common lifestyle and mental health conditions.

References: 18 references open in new window

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Keywords: lifestyle; mass screening; mental health; primary health care; risk reduction behavior; validation studies

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3399/bjgp08X263785

Affiliations: 1: Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand 2: Nga Pae o te Maramatanga, Whariki, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand 3: Abacus Counselling and Training Services Ltd., Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland, New Zealand

Publication date: 2008-01-01

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• The British Journal of General Practice is an international journal publishing articles of interest to family practitioners and primary care researchers worldwide. The journal's 2010 Impact Factor is 2.07, making it the world's second most highly cited journal of general practice and primary health care.

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