Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test

Use as an alcohol screening tool:
  • Identify alcohol consumption (Questions 1-3).
  • Identify drinking behavior and dependence (Questions 4-6).
  • Identify specific consequences or problems related to drinking (Questions 7-10).
Because alcohol consumption can affect your health and can interfere with certain medications an treatments, it is important to ask some questions about your drinking behaviors and alcohol-related problems.
1. How often do you have a drink containing alcohol?
Never
0
Monthly or less
1
2-4 times a month
2
2-3 times a week
3
4 or more times a week
4
2. How many standard drinks do you have on a typical day when you are drinking?
1 or 2
0
3 or 4
1
5 or 6
2
7 or 9
3
10 or more
4
3. How often do you have six or more drinks on one occasion?
Never
0
Less than monthly
1
Monthly
2
Weekly
3
Daily or almost daily
4
4. During the past year, how often have you found that you were not able to stop drinking once you had started?
Never
0
Less than monthly
1
Monthly
2
Weekly
3
Daily or almost daily
4
5. During the past year, how often have you failed to do what was normally expected of you because of drinking?
Never
0
Less than monthly
1
Monthly
2
Weekly
3
Daily or almost daily
4
6. During the past year, how often have you needed a drink in the morning to get yourself going after a heavy drinking session?
Never
0
Less than monthly
1
Monthly
2
Weekly
3
Daily or almost daily
4
7. During the past year, how often have you had a feeling of guilt or remorse after drinking?
Never
0
Less than monthly
1
Monthly
2
Weekly
3
Daily or almost daily
4
8. During the past year, have you been unable to remember what happened the night before because you had been drinking?
Never
0
Less than monthly
1
Monthly
2
Weekly
3
Daily or almost daily
4
9. Have you or someone else been injured as a result of your drinking?
No
0
Yes, but not in the past year
2
Yes, during the past year
4
10. Has a relative or friend, doctor or other health worker been concerned about your drinking or suggested you cut down?
No
0
Yes, but not in the past year
2
Yes, during the past year
4

Supplementary Questions:

Do you think you presently have a problem with drinking?
No
0
Probably Not
0
Unsure
0
Possibly
0
Possibly
0
In the next 3 months, how difficult would you find it to cut down or stop drinking?
Very easy
0
Fairly easy
0
Neither difficult nor easy
0
Fairly difficult
0
Very difficult
0

0 Total Score

0 Dependence Score

Reset
Scores ≤ 7 and Dependence Score < 4 suggest low-risk which may not require treatment. Harm reduction advice may be appropriate for those in susceptible groups.

    What AUDIT Means

    The AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) questionnaire is designed to help in the self assessment of alcohol consumption and to point out any implications for the person's health and wellbeing now and in the future. It consists of 10 questions on alcohol use, the responses to these questions can be scored and the total score prompts feedback to the person and in some cases offers specific advice.

    What is a Standard Drink

    In different countries, health educators and researchers employ different definitions of a standard unit or drink because of differences in the typical serving sizes in that country. In the AUDIT, Questions 2 and 3 assume that a standard drink equivalent is 10 grams of alcohol.
    One Standard Drink
    The above figure contains examples of one standard drink. A full strength can or stubbie contains one and a half standard drinks.

    Scoring the AUDIT

    • Questions 1 to 8 are scored on a five-point scale from 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4.
    • Questions 9 & 10 are scored on a three-point scale from 0, 2 and 4.
    • Questions 2 & 3 are enabled when the answer for question 1 is other than 'Never'.
    • Questions 4 to 8 are enabled when the answer for question 2 or 3 is other than 'Never'.
    • Consumption score: Add up questions 1 to 3. A score of 6 or 7 may indicate a risk of alcohol-related harm, even if this is also the total score for the AUDIT (e.g. consumption could be over the recommended weekly intake of 28 for men and 14 for females in the absence of scoring on any other questions).
    • Dependence score: Add up questions 4 to 6. In addition to the total AUDIT score, a secondary 'dependence' score of 4 or more as a subtotal of questions 4 to 6, suggests the possibility of alcohol dependence (and therefore the need for more intensive intervention if further assessment confirms dependence).

    Interpretation of Results

    The total sum of the responses suggests varying levels of alcohol consumption risk. Scores range from 0 to 40. In general, a total of 16 or above is suggestive of the presence of alcohol dependence. Listed below are AUDIT totals, the levels of risk that they relate to, and suggested treatment for each level of alcohol consumption and dependence:

    Score Risk Comments
    0-7 Low-risk Harm reduction advice may be appropriate.
    8-15 Risky or Hazardous Level Moderate risk of harm. May include some clients currently experiencing harm (especially those who have minimized their reported intake and problems).
    16-19 High-risk or Harmful Level Drinking that will eventually result in harm, if not already doing so. May be dependent.
    ≥ 20 High-risk Definite harm, also likely to be alcohol dependent. Assess for dependence.

    In addition to the total AUDIT score, a secondary 'dependence' score of 4 or more as a subtotal of questions 4 to 6, suggests the possibility of alcohol dependence (and therefore the need for more intensive intervention if further assessment confirms dependence).

    The AUDIT also provides a framework for intervention to help risky drinkers reduce or cease alcohol consumption and thereby avoid the harmful consequences of alcohol.

    Score Suggested Zone Indicated Action
    0-7 Low risk of health problems related to alcohol use Brief education
    8-15 Increased risk of health problems related to alcohol use Brief intervention
    16-19 Increased risk of health problems related to alcohol use and a possible mild or moderate alcohol use disorder Brief intervention or referral to specialized treatment
    ≥ 20 Increased risk of health problems related to alcohol use and a possible moderate or severe alcohol use disorder Referral to specialized treatment

    Brief education: An opportunity to educate patients about low-risk consumption levels and the risks of excessive alcohol use.

    Brief intervention: Patient-centered discussion that employs Motivational Interviewing concepts to raise an individual’s awareness of his/her substance use and enhancing his/her motivation towards behavioral change. Brief interventions are typically performed in 3-15 minutes, and should occur in the same session as the initial screening. Repeated sessions are more effective than a one-time intervention.

    The recommended behavior change is to cut back to low-risk drinking levels unless there are other medical reasons to abstain (liver damage, pregnancy, medication contraindications, etc.).

    Patients with numerous or serious negative consequences from their drinking, or patients with likely dependence who cannot or will not obtain conventional specialized treatment, should receive more numerous and intensive interventions with follow up. The recommended behavior change in this case is to either cut back to low-risk drinking levels or abstain from use.

    Referral to specialized treatment: A proactive process that facilitates access to specialized care for individuals who have been assessed to have substance use dependence. These patients are referred to alcohol and drug treatment experts for more definitive, in-depth assessment and, if warranted, treatment. The recommended behavior change is to abstain from use and accept the referral. Referrals to treatment are delivered to the patient using the brief intervention model.