DSSSB 6 September 2024
Psychiatric Nursing
Easy

CAGE questionnaire was adopted for:

Appeared in: DSSSB 6 September 2024

Explanation

  • The CAGE questionnaire is a widely used mnemonic screening tool specifically designed to identify potential alcohol abuse and dependence.
  • The acronym stands for four key questions: Have you ever felt you should Cut down? Have people Annoyed you? Have you ever felt Guilty? Have you ever had an Eye-opener drink?
  • It is a brief, four-item questionnaire that is easy to administer in various clinical settings to quickly assess for significant alcohol problems.
  • A score of two or more 'yes' answers is considered clinically significant, indicating a high probability of an alcohol use disorder that warrants a more thorough evaluation.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

  • Option A: The CAGE questionnaire does not assess developmental delays or social communication deficits, which are hallmarks of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
  • Option B: The CAGE questionnaire is unrelated to the symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that characterize ADHD.
  • Option C: The CAGE questionnaire does not evaluate memory, orientation, or other cognitive functions that are affected by Alzheimer's disease.

Related Visual

Visual explanation — Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
  • Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Screening tools for substance abuse as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
  • Nurses play a vital role in early identification of at-risk individuals by integrating screening tools like CAGE into routine patient assessments in a confidential and non-judgmental manner.
  • A positive CAGE screen is not a diagnosis but a critical indicator to initiate a conversation about alcohol use, conduct a more detailed assessment, and provide education or referral for treatment.
  • What if? - If a patient answers 'yes' to only one CAGE question, it is still considered a red flag. While not a positive screen, it warrants a brief intervention, including a conversation about their drinking patterns and potential health risks.
How to Approach the Question
  • This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of common clinical screening tools.
  • Identify the key term in the question stem: 'CAGE questionnaire'.
  • Recall the mnemonic CAGE and what each letter represents: Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener.
  • Recognize that all four components of the mnemonic are directly related to an individual's behaviors and feelings about their alcohol consumption.
  • Based on this direct link, select the option for 'Alcohol abuse recognition'.
  • Eliminate the other options by recognizing that autism, ADHD, and Alzheimer's are distinct disorders (neurodevelopmental/cognitive) assessed with different, specialized tools.
Concept Tested & Keywords
  • Concept Tested: Screening tools for substance abuse
  • Stem keywords: CAGE questionnaire
  • Lead-in keywords: adopted for

Question ID

QbiGKC0NpqNlXpGSETdMbd

Reference Book

E6 Pharmacology Nursing Lilley 11e Part 1 p. 304-306

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 3618-3620

Practise the full DSSSB 6 September 2024

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.

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