A Systematic Approach to Standardizing Drinking Outcomes From Timeline Followback Data
Objective: The timeline followback (TLFB) interview is the gold standard for the quantitative assessment of alcohol use. However, self-reported “drinks” can vary in alcohol content. If this variability is not accounted for, it can compromise the reliability and validity of TLFB data. To improve the...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/11782218231157558 |
| _version_ | 1811154524159606784 |
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| author | Christina Marini Nicole S Northover Noah D Gold Ursula K Rogers Kelley C O’Donnell Babak Tofighi Stephen Ross Michael P Bogenschutz |
| author_facet | Christina Marini Nicole S Northover Noah D Gold Ursula K Rogers Kelley C O’Donnell Babak Tofighi Stephen Ross Michael P Bogenschutz |
| author_sort | Christina Marini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: The timeline followback (TLFB) interview is the gold standard for the quantitative assessment of alcohol use. However, self-reported “drinks” can vary in alcohol content. If this variability is not accounted for, it can compromise the reliability and validity of TLFB data. To improve the precision of the TLFB data, we developed a detailed standard operating procedure (SOP) to calculate standard drinks more accurately from participant reports. Method: For the new SOP, the volume and alcohol content by volume (ABV) of distinct types of alcoholic beverages were determined based on product websites and other reliable sources. Recipes for specific cocktails were constructed based on recipes from bartending education websites. One standard drink was defined as 0.6 oz (14 g) of absolute alcohol. Standard drink totals were contrasted for the new SOP approach and the standard procedure, which generally assumed that one self-reported drink was equivalent to one standard drink. Results: Relative to the standard TLFB procedure, higher numbers of standard drinks were reported after implementing the TLFB SOP. Conclusions: Variability in procedures for conversion of self-reported alcohol consumption to standard drinks can confound the interpretation of TLFB data. The use and reporting of a detailed SOP can significantly reduce the potential for such inconsistencies. Detailed and consistent procedures for calculation of standard drinks can enhance the quality of TLFB drinking data. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:18:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-65fe23ccb98446a2bc834de21acad0f2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1178-2218 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:18:13Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment |
| spelling | doaj.art-65fe23ccb98446a2bc834de21acad0f22023-03-11T18:03:25ZengSAGE PublishingSubstance Abuse: Research and Treatment1178-22182023-03-011710.1177/11782218231157558A Systematic Approach to Standardizing Drinking Outcomes From Timeline Followback DataChristina Marini0Nicole S Northover1Noah D Gold2Ursula K Rogers3Kelley C O’Donnell4Babak Tofighi5Stephen Ross6Michael P Bogenschutz7Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USADepartment of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USADepartment of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USADepartment of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USADepartment of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USACenter for Drug Use and HIV ResearchDepartment of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USADepartment of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USAObjective: The timeline followback (TLFB) interview is the gold standard for the quantitative assessment of alcohol use. However, self-reported “drinks” can vary in alcohol content. If this variability is not accounted for, it can compromise the reliability and validity of TLFB data. To improve the precision of the TLFB data, we developed a detailed standard operating procedure (SOP) to calculate standard drinks more accurately from participant reports. Method: For the new SOP, the volume and alcohol content by volume (ABV) of distinct types of alcoholic beverages were determined based on product websites and other reliable sources. Recipes for specific cocktails were constructed based on recipes from bartending education websites. One standard drink was defined as 0.6 oz (14 g) of absolute alcohol. Standard drink totals were contrasted for the new SOP approach and the standard procedure, which generally assumed that one self-reported drink was equivalent to one standard drink. Results: Relative to the standard TLFB procedure, higher numbers of standard drinks were reported after implementing the TLFB SOP. Conclusions: Variability in procedures for conversion of self-reported alcohol consumption to standard drinks can confound the interpretation of TLFB data. The use and reporting of a detailed SOP can significantly reduce the potential for such inconsistencies. Detailed and consistent procedures for calculation of standard drinks can enhance the quality of TLFB drinking data.https://doi.org/10.1177/11782218231157558 |
| spellingShingle | Christina Marini Nicole S Northover Noah D Gold Ursula K Rogers Kelley C O’Donnell Babak Tofighi Stephen Ross Michael P Bogenschutz A Systematic Approach to Standardizing Drinking Outcomes From Timeline Followback Data Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment |
| title | A Systematic Approach to Standardizing Drinking Outcomes From Timeline Followback Data |
| title_full | A Systematic Approach to Standardizing Drinking Outcomes From Timeline Followback Data |
| title_fullStr | A Systematic Approach to Standardizing Drinking Outcomes From Timeline Followback Data |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Systematic Approach to Standardizing Drinking Outcomes From Timeline Followback Data |
| title_short | A Systematic Approach to Standardizing Drinking Outcomes From Timeline Followback Data |
| title_sort | systematic approach to standardizing drinking outcomes from timeline followback data |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/11782218231157558 |
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