AUDIT

What the AUDIT measures

Items 1–3 cover consumption (frequency, typical quantity, heavy episodes). Items 4–6 cover dependence symptoms (impaired control, increased salience, morning drinking). Items 7–10 cover alcohol-related harms (guilt, blackouts, injuries, others' concern).

Use the AUDIT when

• Universal intake screening — most hazardous drinking is invisible without a measure
• Drinking is named as a coping strategy for anxiety, trauma, or insomnia
• Before starting a medication that interacts with alcohol
• Monitoring during recovery or a moderation plan

Why use the AUDIT instead of another measure

The AUDIT covers consumption, dependence symptoms, and consequences in ten items, so a single score maps to a defined WHO intervention tier. The AUDIT-C (first three items) works when time is short and still detects hazardous use well.

When not to use the AUDIT

• The concern is a non-alcohol substance — use the DUDIT or DAST
• You need a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder — this is a risk screen, not a diagnostic interview
• Withdrawal is suspected; that requires immediate medical assessment, not a questionnaire

Scoring and bands

AUDIT scores should be interpreted alongside the clinical interview, the client's context, and the measure's intended population. A cutoff suggests follow-up; it does not establish a diagnosis.

Cutoffs
≥8 is the standard cutoff for hazardous drinking (≥7 for women in some guidelines). The AUDIT-C (items 1–3) can be used for quicker screening — ≥4 for men, ≥3 for women.

What AUDIT results mean — and what to do next

Limitations

• 12-month recall window — may miss recent escalation
• Self-report — under-reporting is common, especially when consequences are present
• Doesn't capture other substances
• Cultural drinking norms vary

Best used for

• Primary care screening
• Intake screening for any clinical population
• Annual re-screening in continuing care

AUDIT scoring — total and risk zones

Items 1–8 are scored 0–4 and items 9–10 are scored 0, 2 or 4, for a total from 0 to 40. WHO guidance (Babor et al., 2001) groups totals into four zones: 0–7 low risk (Zone I — alcohol education), 8–15 hazardous use (Zone II — simple advice), 16–19 harmful use (Zone III — brief counseling and monitoring), and 20–40 possible dependence (Zone IV — referral for diagnostic evaluation and treatment). A total of 8 or more is the standard positive screen.

AUDIT-C — the 3-question version

The AUDIT-C uses only the three consumption questions, scored 0–12 (Bush et al., 1998). Commonly used positive screens are 4 or more for men and 3 or more for women. Because it skips the dependence and harm items, a positive AUDIT-C should be followed by the full AUDIT or a clinical conversation.

AUDIT vs AUDIT-C — which to use

Use the AUDIT-C for quick routine screening at intake. Use the full 10-item AUDIT when you need to separate hazardous use from harm and possible dependence, or when planning the level of intervention.

Frequently asked questions about the AUDIT