Saliva testing for ethanol and methanol content was included in a larger study designed to assess the validity of daily self-reported alcohol consumption. A newly developed "interactive voice response" telephone system (IVR) allowed each respondent to report daily, using the touch-tone telephone keypad, to pre-programmed questions concerning: quantity of beer, wine, liquor, and cigarettes consumed; whether respondent drove after drinking and, if so, at what self-rated level of intoxication; plus questions on stress, mood, and general health. Every night during the 4-week study, breath and saliva samples were collected from the 30 respondents in their homes. Ethanol values from saliva testing were highly correlated with ethanol readings from breath samples and with the IVR relf-reports of drinking. Methanol values were moderately correlated with breath and saliva ethanol values. Subjects in the higher ethanol group showed significantly higher self-reported number of drinks consumed, intoxication in general, intoxication while driving, and problem severity than those in the lower ethanol group. (A)
Abstract