The Usefulness and Reliability of a Drug Severity Scale

Abstract

The interrater reliability of a previously developed method for measuring severity of human multidrug use was studied. This method was based on interviewer''s ratings of the number of different drugs used, the frequency of use and the length of use of each drug. Relatively unsophisticated raters in comparison with trained and experienced raters were able to utilize the drug severity form with a minimum of error.