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

An infographic that visually breaks down the CAGE acronym Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener with a simple icon for each question, and explains the scoring system e.g., 2...
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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