Table 3.

Unit costs (£) and cost per true positive for each screening test and outcome for 1000 male attendees in primary care

Variable	Alcohol use disorders identification test	γ-glutamyltransferase	Aspartate aminotransferase	Per cent carbohydrate deficient transferrin	Erythrocyte mean cell volume
Unit costs per test:
Printing costs	0.10	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
Venepuncture	0.00	2.25*	2.25*	2.25*	2.25*
Analysis and interpretation	1.60†	3.00‡	3.00‡	25.00‡	6.00‡
Total cost per test	1.70	5.25	5.25	27.25	8.25
Cost to screen 1000 patients	1700	5250	5250	27 250	8250
Hazardous alcohol consumption:
Expected number of true positives	236	126	69	162	109
Cost (£) per true positive	7.19	41.82	76.47	168.16	75.42
Monthly binge consumption:
Expected number of true positives	233	149	93	209	125
Cost per true positive	7.30	35.13	56.49	130.26	65.98
Weekly binge consumption:
Expected number of true positives	182	107	70	148	75
Cost per true positive	9.35	48.89	75.32	183.68	109.58
Alcohol dependence:
Expected number of true positives	103	39	24	70	34
Cost per true positive	16.49	135.79	222.20	390.57	240.05

^*Cost includes nurse time, syringe, and bottle,²¹ divided by number of tests derived from each sample.⁴

^†Based on five minutes of practice nurse time (£1.10) and five minutes use of premises measuring 12 m² at £6/h (2000-1 prices).²¹

^‡Analysis undertaken in laboratory (2000-1 prices).