AUDIT Score for alcohol use
Clinical intent
The World Health Organization’s Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is a very reliable and simple screening tool which is sensitive to early detection of risky and high risk (or hazardous and harmful) drinking [1,2]. It has three questions on alcohol consumption (1 to 3), three questions on drinking behaviour and dependence (4 to 6) and four questions on the consequences or problems related to drinking (7 to 10).
Clinical interpretation
| AUDIT Total score | Dependence score | Risk level |
|---|---|---|
| 0-7 | Below 4 | Low-risk |
| 8-15 | Below 4 | Risky or hazardous level. Moderaterisk of harm. Mayinclude someclientscurrentlyexperiencing harm (especially those who have minimised their reported intakeand problems). |
| 4 or more | Assess for dependency | |
| 16-19 | Below 4 | High-risk or harmful level. Drinking that will eventually result in harm, if not already doing so. May be dependent. |
| 4 or more | Assess for dependence | |
| 20 or more | Below 4 | High-risk Definite harm, also likely to be alcohol dependent. Assess for dependence. |
| 4 or more | Almost certainly dependent. Assess for dependency |
References
[1] Babor TF, Higgins‐Biddle JC (2001) Brief Intervention for Hazardous and Harmful Drinking: A Manual for Use in Primary Care. (WHO Publication No. 01.6b). World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
[2] Reinert DF, Allen JP. The alcohol use disorders identification test: an update of research findings. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2007 Feb;31(2):185-99. doi: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2006.00295.x. PMID: 17250609.
Pathway
Form preview
Interactive preview of the questionnaire. Not for clinical use. Responses are not stored.
