Do Quantity-Frequency Data Underestimate Drinking-Related Health Risks?

Author(s)

Linda C. Sobell, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Tony Cellucci, North Carolina Wesleyan College
Ted D. Nirenberg, Georgia Southern College
Mark B. Sobell, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow

ORCID

0000-0001-7705-3993

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

American Journal of Public Health

ISSN

0090-0036

Publication Date

8-1982

Abstract

Identifying health impairment related to ethanol consumption is one of the major objectives of public health research. The most frequently used method for assessing drinking behavior in public health surveys and related research has been estimation formulae, like the Quantity-Frequency (QF) method which derives an estimate of typical/average levels of daily consumption. In recent years, questions have arisen as to whether the QF method can accurately reflect actual drinking patterns. This study compares a QF method of assessing daily drinking behavior with a newer, more quantitative method (Time-Line, TL) of assessing daily drinking. The QF and TL methods yielded similar mean daily ethanol consumption levels; however, in contrast to the TL method, the QF method seriously masked subjects' actual drinking patterns by failing to identify certain types of ethanol consumption days, especially those thought to be associated with health risks. These findings, while provocative, were obtained with a small number of subjects (N = 40). Extrapolation to populations other than problem drinkers, while likely, awaits further empirical validation.

DOI

10.2105/AJPH.72.8.823

Volume

72

Issue

8

First Page

823

Last Page

828

NSUWorks Citation

Sobell, L. C., Cellucci, T., Nirenberg, T. D., Sobell, M. B. (1982). Do Quantity-Frequency Data Underestimate Drinking-Related Health Risks?. American Journal of Public Health, 72(8), 823-828.
Available at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cps_facarticles/54