Equivalency of the diagnostic accuracy of the PHQ-8 and PHQ-9: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Item 9 of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) queries about thoughts of death and self-harm, but not suicidality. Although it is sometimes used to assess suicide risk, most positive responses are not associated with suicidality. The PHQ-8, which omits Item 9, is thus increasingly used in research. We assessed equivalency of total score correlations and the diagnostic accuracy to detect major depression of the PHQ-8 and PHQ-9. METHODS: We conducted an individual patient data meta-analysis. We fit bivariate random-effects models to assess diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS: 16 742 participants (2097 major depression cases) from 54 studies were included. The correlation between PHQ-8 and PHQ-9 scores was 0.996 (95% confidence interval 0.996 to 0.996). The standard cutoff score of 10 for the PHQ-9 maximized sensitivity + specificity for the PHQ-8 among studies that used a semi-structured diagnostic interview reference standard (N = 27). At cutoff 10, the PHQ-8 was less sensitive by 0.02 (-0.06 to 0.00) and more specific by 0.01 (0.00 to 0.01) among those studies (N = 27), with similar results for studies that used other types of interviews (N = 27). For all 54 primary studies combined, across all cutoffs, the PHQ-8 was less sensitive than the PHQ-9 by 0.00 to 0.05 (0.03 at cutoff 10), and specificity was within 0.01 for all cutoffs (0.00 to 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: PHQ-8 and PHQ-9 total scores were similar. Sensitivity may be minimally reduced with the PHQ-8, but specificity is similar.

The Accuracy of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Algorithm for Screening to Detect Major Depression: An Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Screening for major depression with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) can be done using a cutoff or the PHQ-9 diagnostic algorithm. Many primary studies publish results for only one approach, and previous meta-analyses of the algorithm approach included only a subset of primary studies that collected data and could have published results. OBJECTIVE: To use an individual participant data meta-analysis to evaluate the accuracy of two PHQ-9 diagnostic algorithms for detecting major depression and compare accuracy between the algorithms and the standard PHQ-9 cutoff score of ≥10. METHODS: Medline, Medline In-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations, PsycINFO, Web of Science (January 1, 2000, to February 7, 2015). Eligible studies that classified current major depression status using a validated diagnostic interview. RESULTS: Data were included for 54 of 72 identified eligible studies (n participants = 16,688, n cases = 2,091). Among studies that used a semi-structured interview, pooled sensitivity and specificity (95% confidence interval) were 0.57 (0.49, 0.64) and 0.95 (0.94, 0.97) for the original algorithm and 0.61 (0.54, 0.68) and 0.95 (0.93, 0.96) for a modified algorithm. Algorithm sensitivity was 0.22-0.24 lower compared to fully structured interviews and 0.06-0.07 lower compared to the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Specificity was similar across reference standards. For PHQ-9 cutoff of ≥10 compared to semi-structured interviews, sensitivity and specificity (95% confidence interval) were 0.88 (0.82-0.92) and 0.86 (0.82-0.88). CONCLUSIONS: The cutoff score approach appears to be a better option than a PHQ-9 algorithm for detecting major depression.

Shortening self-report mental health symptom measures through optimal test assembly methods: Development and validation of the Patient Health Questionnaire-Depression-4.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to develop and validate a short form of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), a self-report questionnaire for assessing depressive symptomatology, using objective criteria. METHODS: Responses on the PHQ-9 were obtained from 7,850 English-speaking participants enrolled in 20 primary diagnostic test accuracy studies. PHQ unidimensionality was verified using confirmatory factor analysis, and an item response theory model was fit. Optimal test assembly (OTA) methods identified a maximally precise short form for each possible length between one and eight items, including and excluding the ninth item. The final short form was selected based on prespecified validity, reliability, and diagnostic accuracy criteria. RESULTS: A four-item short form of the PHQ (PHQ-Dep-4) was selected. The PHQ-Dep-4 had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.805. Sensitivity and specificity of the PHQ-Dep-4 were 0.788 and 0.837, respectively, and were statistically equivalent to the PHQ-9 (sensitivity = 0.761, specificity = 0.866). The correlation of total scores with the full PHQ-9 was high (r = 0.919). CONCLUSION: The PHQ-Dep-4 is a valid short form with minimal loss of information of scores when compared to the full-length PHQ-9. Although OTA methods have been used to shorten patient-reported outcome measures based on objective, prespecified criteria, further studies are required to validate this general procedure for broader use in health research. Furthermore, due to unexamined heterogeneity, there is a need to replicate the results of this study in different patient populations.

Barriers to Unmarried Father Involvement During Infancy: Qualitative Study from Professionals' Perspectives.

Introduction Unmarried fathers in the U.S. face barriers to establishing a relationship with their newborn children that married fathers do not confront. Our study was implemented to determine how systems and services could be modified to better support the engagement of unmarried fathers. Methods We conducted interviews with 35 professionals who interact with primarily low-income unmarried mothers and fathers to elicit their perceptions of such barriers. We developed a social ecological model to inform the study design and used purposive sampling with chain referrals to ensure a wide breadth of perspectives. Themes and subthemes categorizing personal and environmental factors were placed within five nested categories corresponding to different levels of influence on unmarried fathers' behaviors: public policy, community, institutions, interpersonal relationships, and intrapersonal characteristics, and their intersections. Results Participants challenged as inaccurate the stereotype of unmarried fathers as disengaged and uninterested in being involved with their children. Rather, they described the marginalization and devaluing of unmarried fathers by government policies and family service systems and programs and also the dearth of resources available to them. They called on decision makers to adjust policies and services to be more inclusive of unmarried fathers, to promote father engagement more actively, and to urge direct service providers to respond to fathers as valued individuals. Discussion Adapting to the common reality of nonmarital childbearing will entail a systematic shift in the integration of ways in which we value, understand, include, and serve fathers.

Probability of major depression diagnostic classification using semi-structured versus fully structured diagnostic interviews.

BACKGROUND: Different diagnostic interviews are used as reference standards for major depression classification in research. Semi-structured interviews involve clinical judgement, whereas fully structured interviews are completely scripted. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), a brief fully structured interview, is also sometimes used. It is not known whether interview method is associated with probability of major depression classification.AimsTo evaluate the association between interview method and odds of major depression classification, controlling for depressive symptom scores and participant characteristics. METHOD: Data collected for an individual participant data meta-analysis of Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) diagnostic accuracy were analysed and binomial generalised linear mixed models were fit. RESULTS: A total of 17 158 participants (2287 with major depression) from 57 primary studies were analysed. Among fully structured interviews, odds of major depression were higher for the MINI compared with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) (odds ratio (OR) = 2.10; 95% CI = 1.15-3.87). Compared with semi-structured interviews, fully structured interviews (MINI excluded) were non-significantly more likely to classify participants with low-level depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 scores ≤6) as having major depression (OR = 3.13; 95% CI = 0.98-10.00), similarly likely for moderate-level symptoms (PHQ-9 scores 7-15) (OR = 0.96; 95% CI = 0.56-1.66) and significantly less likely for high-level symptoms (PHQ-9 scores ≥16) (OR = 0.50; 95% CI = 0.26-0.97). CONCLUSIONS: The MINI may identify more people as depressed than the CIDI, and semi-structured and fully structured interviews may not be interchangeable methods, but these results should be replicated.Declaration of interestDrs Jetté and Patten declare that they received a grant, outside the submitted work, from the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, which was jointly funded by the Institute and Pfizer. Pfizer was the original sponsor of the development of the PHQ-9, which is now in the public domain. Dr Chan is a steering committee member or consultant of Astra Zeneca, Bayer, Lilly, MSD and Pfizer. She has received sponsorships and honorarium for giving lectures and providing consultancy and her affiliated institution has received research grants from these companies. Dr Hegerl declares that within the past 3 years, he was an advisory board member for Lundbeck, Servier and Otsuka Pharma; a consultant for Bayer Pharma; and a speaker for Medice Arzneimittel, Novartis, and Roche Pharma, all outside the submitted work. Dr Inagaki declares that he has received grants from Novartis Pharma, lecture fees from Pfizer, Mochida, Shionogi, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, Daiichi-Sankyo, Meiji Seika and Takeda, and royalties from Nippon Hyoron Sha, Nanzando, Seiwa Shoten, Igaku-shoin and Technomics, all outside of the submitted work. Dr Yamada reports personal fees from Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd., MSD K.K., Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation, Seishin Shobo, Seiwa Shoten Co., Ltd., Igaku-shoin Ltd., Chugai Igakusha and Sentan Igakusha, all outside the submitted work. All other authors declare no competing interests. No funder had any role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis and interpretation of the data; preparation, review or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

Psychosocial risk screening of expectant fathers in an urban home visiting service population.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the occurrence of psychosocial risk factors among expectant fathers whose female partners were enrolled in prenatal home visiting services. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, exploratory, quantitative design. SAMPLE: Expectant father-mother pairs were recruited from two urban home visiting programs to participate in a randomized controlled trial of a father advocate intervention. The study sample consisted of 66 father-mother pairs who completed structured interviews at baseline, before randomization. MEASUREMENTS: Participants were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. This study focused on their responses related to 11 psychosocial risk factors, as measured by the Brief Risk Overview (BRO) for men and the Prenatal Risk Overview (PRO) for pregnant women. RESULTS: Moderate- or high-risk classification of psychosocial risk factors was prevalent among expectant fathers. The risk factors that fathers reported were diverse, related to their basic needs, social support, mental health, and substance use; risk factors frequently co-occurred. Fathers' and mothers' total risk scores, calculated as a composite of all 11 risk factors, were significantly correlated. CONCLUSIONS: Expectant fathers who have a partner enrolled in home visiting would benefit from psychosocial risk screening. Addressing fathers' risk factors may improve paternal health, their involvement in parenting, and the well-being of their partners and children.

Prenatal care: associations with prenatal depressive symptoms and social support in low-income urban women.

We examined associations of depressive symptoms and social support with late and inadequate prenatal care in a low-income urban population. The sample was prenatal care patients at five community health centers. Measures of depressive symptoms, social support, and covariates were collected at prenatal care entry. Prenatal care entry and adequacy came from birth certificates. We examined outcomes of late prenatal care and less than adequate care in multivariable models. Among 2341 study participants, 16% had elevated depressive symptoms, 70% had moderate/poor social support, 21% had no/low partner support, 37% had late prenatal care, and 29% had less than adequate prenatal care. Women with both no/low partner support and elevated depressive symptoms were at highest risk of late care (AOR 1.85, CI 1.31, 2.60, p < 0.001) compared to women with both good partner support and low depressive symptoms. Those with good partner support and elevated depressive symptoms were less likely to have late care (AOR 0.74, CI 0.54, 1.10, p = 0.051). Women with moderate/high depressive symptoms were less likely to experience less than adequate care compared to women with low symptoms (AOR 0.73, CI 0.56, 0.96, p = 0.022). Social support and partner support were negatively associated with indices of prenatal care use. Partner support was identified as protective for women with depressive symptoms with regard to late care. Study findings support public health initiatives focused on promoting models of care that address preconception and reproductive life planning. Practice-based implications include possible screening for social support and depression in preconception contexts.

Addressing perinatal depression in a group of underserved urban women: a focus group study.

BACKGROUND: Perinatal mental health problems are common complications of pregnancy that can go undetected and untreated. Research indicated that mental health complications are more prevalent in women from disadvantaged communities, yet women from these communities often experience barriers to accessing treatments and interventions. Untreated depression during pregnancy can lead to poor self-care, increased substance abuse, poor obstetrical outcomes, developmental delay in children, and increased risk of postpartum depression. In this study we investigated the perceived perinatal mental health needs of our participants and they wanted to address their perceived needs. METHODS: In this qualitative study, we invited women who resided in an underserved, urban community who were pregnant or who delivered within the past year to participate in focus groups. RESULTS: Thirty-seven women participated in seven focus groups. Thirteen themes emerged which were described in relation to mental health needs, help currently accessed and the type of support wanted. The themes included the various mental health needs including dealing with changing moods, depression, feelings of isolation, worrying and a sense of being burdened. Women described using a limited range of supports and help. Participants expressed a preference for mental health support that was empowerment focused in its orientation, including peer support. Women also described the compounding effect that social and economic stresses had on their mental health. CONCLUSIONS: Participants wanted access to a greater range of supports for mental health than were currently available to them, including peer support, and wanted assistance in addressing social and economic needs. These findings offer a challenge to further broaden the types of services offered to women, and demonstrate that those services need to be responsive to the challenging contexts of women's lives. Integrating women's views and experiences into the development of services may help to overcome barriers to care.

An examination of prenatal and postpartum depressive symptoms among women served by urban community health centers.

We characterized depressive symptoms in the prenatal and/or postpartum periods and examined associated risk factors among 594 women who received care at community health care centers. Women were screened with comprehensive risk assessments, which included the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 depression screen, during pregnancy and at least 4 weeks after delivery. Fifteen percent had depressive symptoms in the prenatal period only; 6 % in the postpartum period only, and 8 % had depressive symptoms in both periods. Risk markers varied for women who reported depressive symptoms at one period only compared with those who reported persistent depressive symptoms. Age (25 years versus younger), having experienced abuse, not living with the infant's father, and cigarette smoking were associated with depressive symptoms at both periods; being US-born, lacking social support, and experiencing food insecurity were associated with reporting symptoms only in the prenatal period, and lack of phone access was associated with risk only in the postpartum period. Our findings confirm the importance of repeated screenings for depressive symptoms during the perinatal period. The variability in risk markers associated with periods of reported depressive symptoms may reflect their varying associations with persistence, new onset, or recovery from depressive symptoms.

Posttraumatic stress disorder among women receiving prenatal care at three federally qualified health care centers.

This study assessed the prevalence and interrelationships of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), antecedent trauma, and psychosocial risk factors among pregnant women served at three urban Federally Qualified Health Care Centers. This analysis was part of a validation study of the prenatal risk overview, a structured psychosocial risk screening interview. The study sample included 745 prenatal patients at three clinics who also were administered the major depression, PTSD, alcohol, and drug use modules of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID). Most participants were women of color (89.1%), under the age of 25 years (67.8%), and unmarried (86.2%). The rate for a current PTSD diagnosis was 6.6% and for subthreshold PTSD 4.2%. More than half (54%) of participants reported a trauma that met PTSD criteria; 21% reported being a victim of or witness to violence or abuse, including 78 % of women with PTSD. Compared to those without PTSD, those with PTSD were 4 times more likely to be at risk for housing instability (AOR 4.15; 95% CI 1.76, 9.80) and depression (AOR3.91; 95% CI 2.05, 7.47) and 2 times as likely to be at risk for a drug use disorder (AOR 1.96, 95% CI 1.04, 3.71) and involvement with child protective services (AOR 2.27; 95% CI 1.06, 4.89). Women age 25 or older were twice as likely to meet PTSD diagnostic criteria as younger women (AOR2.27; 95%CI 1.21, 4.28). Trauma exposure and pervasive PTSD were common in this population. Systematic psychosocial risk screening may identify the population with PTSD even without questions specific to this disorder.

Validation of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9 for prenatal depression screening.

The study was designed to validate the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) for depression risk identification among pregnant women. Pregnant women were routinely administered the Prenatal Risk Overview, a comprehensive psychosocial screening interview, which included the PHQ-9, at their prenatal intake appointment at three community clinics. Study participants completed the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) at a later appointment. PHQ-9 risk classifications were cross-tabulated with SCID diagnostic categories to examine concordance, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. The study sample included 745 women. Prevalence of a current major depressive episode was 3.6 %; an additional 7.0 % were classified as meeting subdiagnostic criteria of three or more depressive symptoms. A PHQ-9 score cutoff of 10 yielded sensitivity and specificity rates of 85 and 84 %, respectively, for a depression diagnosis and 75 and 88 % for a subdiagnosis, respectively. Positive predictive value was higher for the expanded group (43 %) than that of the diagnosis-only group (17 %). The PHQ-9, embedded within a multidimensional risk screening interview, effectively identified pregnant women who met criteria for current depression. The moderate risk score cutoff also identified women with subdiagnostic symptom levels who may benefit from interventions to alleviate their distress and improve pregnancy outcomes.

Validation of the alcohol use module from a multidimensional prenatal psychosocial risk screening instrument.

The purpose of the study was to validate the Prenatal Risk Overview (PRO) Alcohol use domain against a structured diagnostic interview. The PRO was developed to screen for 13 psychosocial risk factors associated with poor birth outcomes. After clinic staff administered the PRO to prenatal patients, they asked for consent to administration of selected modules of the structured clinical interview for DSM-IV (SCID) by a research assistant. To assess the criterion validity of the PRO, low and moderate/high risk classifications from the alcohol use domain were cross-tabulated with SCID Alcohol Use Disorder variables. The study sample included 744 women. Based on PRO responses, 48.7% reported alcohol use during the 12 months before they learned they were pregnant; 5.4% reported use post pregnancy awareness. The typical quantity consumed pre-pregnancy was four or more drinks per occasion. Based on the SCID, 7.4% met DSM-IV criteria for either Alcohol Abuse or Dependence. Sensitivity and specificity of the PRO for Alcohol Use Disorders were 83.6 and 80.3%, respectively. Negative predictive value was 98.4% and positive predictive value was 25.3%. The results indicate the PRO effectively identified pregnant women with Alcohol Use Disorders. However, prenatal screening must also detect consumption patterns that do not meet diagnostic thresholds but may endanger fetal development. The PRO also identified women who continued to drink after they knew they were pregnant, as well as those whose previous drinking habits put them at risk for resumption of hazardous use.

Validity of the prenatal risk overview for detecting drug use disorders in pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the Prenatal Risk Overview (PRO) drug use questions against a structured diagnostic interview among pregnant women. DESIGN AND SAMPLE: Prenatal care patients were administered the PRO at intake and then asked to consent to a research diagnostic interview. Of 1,367 women asked to participate, 1,274 consented and 745 completed the study. MEASURES: Three drug use items comprised one of 13 PRO psychosocial risk domains. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) was used as the validation instrument. To assess criterion validity, the Moderate/High and High Risk classifications were cross-tabulated with SCID Drug Use Disorder diagnoses. RESULTS: In response to the PRO, almost one third of participants (29.4%) reported drug use during the 12 months pre-pregnancy awareness and 11.0% reported use post-pregnancy awareness; 7.0% met SCID diagnostic criteria for Drug Abuse, Drug Dependence, or both, primarily for marijuana use. Drug Use Disorder sensitivity and specificity rates for the PRO Moderate/High Risk classifications were 88.5% and 74.3%, respectively, and for High Risk only, 78.8% and 87.3%. CONCLUSION: The PRO yielded substantial self-reporting of drug use before and after pregnancy awareness with high sensitivity and specificity for detecting Drug Use Disorders. PRO results can inform decisions about appropriate clinical responses.

Alcohol and drug use before and during pregnancy: an examination of use patterns and predictors of cessation.

OBJECTIVES: This study examines alcohol and nonmedical drug use before and during pregnancy and identifies the predictors of use cessation before the first prenatal visit. METHODS: Data analyses were based on the Prenatal Risk Overview (PRO), a structured interview that screens for psychosocial risk factors associated with poor birth outcomes. The study sample includes 1,492 consecutive prenatal care patients from four urban clinics between November 2005 and June 2007. RESULTS: Reported alcohol and drug use pre-pregnancy was much higher among U.S.-born women than immigrants, and among unmarried women than married women. American Indians had the highest rates among racial/ethnic groups. Since learning of their pregnancy, 5.6% of patients reported alcohol use and 10.7% reported drug use, reflecting cessation rates of 87.0% for alcohol and 55.6% for drugs. In logistic regression analyses, older age, current smoking, and lack of transportation predicted both alcohol and drug use continuation. Alcohol use continuation was also predicted by pre-pregnancy alcohol use frequency, depression, and physical/sexual abuse by someone other than an intimate partner. Drug use continuation was also predicted by race (higher for American Indians and African Americans), and pre-pregnancy drug use frequency. CONCLUSIONS: Women who continued to use alcohol or drugs after learning they were pregnant were more frequent users than spontaneous quitters, more likely to smoke cigarettes, and had more psychosocial stressors. Achieving higher rates of cessation may require approaches that simultaneously address substance use and impediments to quitting. Higher continuation rates among some cultural groups require further investigation.

Systematic prenatal screening for psychosocial risks.

The Prenatal Risk Overview (PRO) was designed to screen for 13 psychosocial risk factors associated with poor birth outcomes. This study describes the development and implementation of the PRO in 4 community health centers. The study also examines the prevalence, co-occurrence, and inter-correlations of psychosocial risks in their prenatal populations. The study sample included 1,386 prenatal patients screened between November 2005 and April 2007; 95% were women of color; 77% were not married. The PRO classified 48% at moderate or high risk for housing instability; 32% for food insecurity; 75% for lack of social support; 7% for intimate partner violence; 9% for other physical/sexual abuse; 18% for depression; 23% for cigarette use, 23% for alcohol use, and 25% for drug use. Systematically assessing and quantifying psychosocial risks are essential activities for evaluating the extent to which appropriate and timely responses to identified risks reduce infant mortality, preterm births, and low birth weights.

The varied circumstances prompting requests for emergency contraception at school-based clinics.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the circumstances that prompt teenagers to request emergency contraception (EC). This evaluation was designed to refine the EC clinical protocol and improve pregnancy prevention efforts in high school-based clinics by analyzing information on EC use and subsequent contraception use of EC patients. METHODS: Sites included 5 clinics located at mainstream, racially diverse, and urban high schools. Nursing staff documented all EC-related visits during the 2002-2003 school year on a standardized form. These forms and additional information were collected from chart reviews. RESULTS: EC was requested in 113 instances involving 91 students and dispensed in all but 4 instances. The most frequently reported circumstance prompting an EC request was the use of no protection (37.2%), followed by a condom mishap (27.4%) and questionable protection from a hormonal method (23.9%). Anxiety despite adequate protection from a hormonal method (9.7%) or a condom (1.8%) accounted for the remaining cases. Although the clinical protocol included a follow-up appointment 2 weeks after receipt of EC, 39.5% of EC users failed to keep this appointment. The chart review revealed that hormonal contraception was eventually initiated following two thirds (68.0%) of the EC instances that involved either no protection or only a condom. CONCLUSIONS: Because young EC seekers vary considerably in terms of sexual experience, contraceptive use consistency, and pregnancy risk, individualized risk assessment and counseling are essential. The EC visit may be an optimal time to encourage initiation or reinstitution of hormonal methods of birth control.

In-Hospital Paternity Establishment: Experiences and Meaning Perceived by Unmarried Parents.

Voluntary paternity establishment was placed in birthing hospitals by an act of Congress, but little is known about how unmarried parents experience this process. This study presents reactions from 81 racially/ethnically diverse, low-income parents. A qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews revealed three overall themes and six subthemes: (1) paternity establishment process [subthemes: variety of experiences, strong emotional experience, and poor timing]; (2) meaning of paternity establishment [subthemes: responsible fatherhood, symbol of commitment to child, and importance of the child knowing his father's identity]; and (3) paternity establishment decision-making. Many parents either did not recall receiving the requisite information or found it difficult to focus on technical materials immediately after childbirth. For parents, the symbolic value of the father's name on the birth certificate overrode other considerations. Parents' perspectives may help administrators of paternity establishment programs better tailor procedures and timing to the needs of unmarried parents.

Mail surveys resulted in more reports of substance use than telephone surveys.

OBJECTIVE: To determine to what extent the substance-use information obtained in surveys is affected by method of data collection. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Questions on the use of alcohol and drugs were administered to samples of Minnesota adults assigned to one of two conditions to test the effect of mode of administration (mail and telephone); 816 persons completed the survey, roughly one half by mail and one half by telephone. RESULTS: Those interviewed by telephone revealed more heavy use of alcohol, but the mail sample includes disproportionate numbers of respondents from demographic groups that exhibit less use. Controlling for these differences across modes, as well as the differential use of listed telephone numbers and addresses, reduces the effect of mode on one measure of heavy alcohol use to nonsignificance but yields significant effects of mode on others. Specifically, those in the mail condition reported higher levels of illicit drug use in the last year, alcohol use in the last month, and heavy alcohol use in the last 2 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The greater, and arguably more accurate, reporting of substance use, coupled with potential cost savings, suggests that researchers should consider using mail surveys for investigating substance use.