Medical assessment in drug addicts:: Reliability and validity of the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (substance abuse version)

Objective: To adapt the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for its use in substance abuse patients (CIRS-SA) and to assess the reliability, internal consistency, and validity of the instrument. Method: One-hundred outpatients of both sexes, 62 men and 38 women, with a mean (SD) age of 32.4 (7.9) years (range 19-57), all of them fulfilling the DSM-IV criteria for any substance abuse disorder. Internal consistency was calculated with Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Test-retest and interrater reliability was assessed with the intraclass correlation coefficient and Wilcoxon z. Validity of the scale was assessed with Kendall's tau correlation coefficient. Results: The final CIRS-SA version had a total of 13 items. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.57. All intraclass correlation coefficients were above 0.7, and some items showed exact coincidence. The stability of the CIRS-SA scale in a 1-month test re-test reassessment was demonstrated. The CIRS-SA score showed a significant correlation with all consultant scores. Conclusion: CIRS-SA is a reliable and valid instrument to assess and to determine systematically the physical condition of substance abusers in whom infections, particularly by the HIV, are highly prevalent. Copyright (C) 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel.