The Russian translations of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT): A document analysis and discussion of implementation challenges

  • Anna Bunova National Research Center for Preventive Medicine of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation
  • Maria Neufeld WHO European Office for Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, Moscow; Institute for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, TU Dresden; Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH); Moscow Research and Practical Centre for Narcology of the Department of Public Health
  • Carina Ferreira-Borges WHO European Office for Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, Moscow
  • Evgeniy Bryun Moscow Research and Practical Centre for Narcology of the Department of Public Health, Moscow
  • Eugenia Fadeeva National Research Centre on Addictions – branch, V. Serbsky National Medical Research Centre for Psychiatry and Narcology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation; Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow
  • Artyom Gil I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow
  • Evgenia Koshkina Moscow Research and Practical Centre for Narcology of the Department of Public Health, Moscow
  • Aleksey Nadezhdin Moscow Research and Practical Centre for Narcology of the Department of Public Health, Moscow
  • Elena Tetenova Moscow Research and Practical Centre for Narcology of the Department of Public Health, Moscow
  • Konstantin Vyshinsky National Research Centre on Addictions – branch, V. Serbsky National Medical Research Centre for Psychiatry and Narcology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow
  • Elena Yurasova Moscow State University of Psychology and Education, Moscow
  • Jürgen Rehm WHO European Office for Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, Moscow; Institute for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, TU Dresden; I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow; Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, CAMH, Toronto; Institute of Medical Science (IMS), University of Toronto; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.287
Keywords: AUDIT, alcohol drinking, alcohol dependence, alcohol use disorders, cross-cultural research, instrument translation, Russia

Abstract

Aims: To analyze existing Russian translations of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and their applicability in Russian-language populations.

Method: Document analysis of different Russian-language versions of the AUDIT and its shorter versions as identified in a systematic search.

Findings: A total of 122 Russian translations of the AUDIT or its shorter versions from Russia and other countries were included in the document analysis, 61 of which were unique versions. Across the translations, a series of inconsistencies was identified, most of which related to the first three consumption items and the concept of a standard drink. The identified problems appeared to have been caused by difficulties in adapting the tool to local drinking patterns and local beverage volumes. None of the analyzed sources mentioned systematic translation procedures according to a predetermined protocol.

Conclusions: Despite the fact that the AUDIT was developed as a standardized screening tool almost 30 years ago, there is still no official translation into the Russian language according to the commonly used procedures for the translation and adaptation of instruments. A systematic translation and validation appears to be urgently needed in order to have an internationally comparable AUDIT for research and clinical purposes in Russian-speaking populations.

Published
2021-07-01
How to Cite
Bunova, A., Neufeld, M., Ferreira-Borges, C., Bryun, E., Fadeeva, E., Gil, A., Koshkina, E., Nadezhdin, A., Tetenova, E., Vyshinsky, K., Yurasova, E., & Rehm, J. (2021). The Russian translations of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT): A document analysis and discussion of implementation challenges. International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research, 9(1), 20-29. https://doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.287
Issue
Vol. 9 No. 1 (2021)
Section
Article

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