Screening

AUDIT Alcohol Screening Questionnaire (Full 10-Question)

Screening for risky and harmful alcohol use

Primary source: WHO. AUDIT 2nd ed. Geneva 2001

Aleksandr A. Aulov, MD, internal medicine Last clinical review: April 28, 2026

Online calculation

1. How often do you have a drink containing alcohol?

2. How many drinks containing alcohol do you have on a typical day when drinking?

3. How often do you have 6 or more drinks on one occasion?

4. Not able to stop drinking once you had started?

5. Failed to do what was normally expected of you because of drinking?

6. Needed a morning drink to get going after heavy drinking?

7. Feeling of guilt or remorse after drinking?

8. Unable to remember the night before because of drinking?

9. Have you or someone else been injured because of your drinking?

10. Has a relative, friend, or doctor been concerned about your drinking?

About this score

AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) is the full 10-question questionnaire developed by WHO (Babor TF, et al., 2001). It is the gold standard for assessing problem alcohol use in primary care.

It covers 3 domains: alcohol consumption (questions 1-3, corresponding to AUDIT-C), dependence symptoms (4-6), and harmful consequences (7-10). Each question scores 0-4 points, for a total of 0-40.

WHO interpretation: 0-7 - low risk; 8-15 - risky use, brief intervention; 16-19 - harmful use, specialist consultation recommended; ≥ 20 - probable dependence, comprehensive assessment and treatment. The scale is recommended for use in primary care and substance use treatment settings.

When to use

Positive AUDIT-C, to clarify severity and stratify risk.
In-depth screening when alcohol dependence is suspected.
Before bariatric surgery or liver transplantation.
Monitoring the effectiveness of alcohol treatment over time.

Clinical example

Case

A 52-year-old man is referred after a positive AUDIT-C (8 points). Full AUDIT: drinks 4 times a week, usually 7-9 drinks per occasion, weekly binge drinking, unable to stop once started, missed work because of drinking this year, relatives are concerned, needs a morning drink, and was once involved in a car accident while intoxicated.

Calculation

Total across 10 questions ≈ 26 points.

Interpretation and management

AUDIT ≥ 20 indicates probable alcohol dependence. Management: referral to an addiction specialist/psychiatrist, evaluation for somatic complications (liver, pancreas, nervous system, cardiovascular system), assessment of withdrawal risk if the patient attempts to stop (CIWA-Ar scale for severe cases), detoxification in inpatient or outpatient settings, pharmacotherapy (naltrexone, acamprosate, disulfiram, as indicated), psychotherapy (CBT, motivational interviewing), and participation in support groups (AA).

Limitations and cautions

Relies on patient honesty; underreporting is common.
10 questions add a noticeable burden to a visit, so AUDIT-C is often used instead for primary screening.
Does not distinguish current active use from remission; additional clinical assessment is needed.
No age-specific adaptations have been developed; thresholds are lower in older adults.

Frequently asked questions

When should the full AUDIT be used instead of AUDIT-C?

AUDIT-C is used for routine, quick screening. The full AUDIT is used when AUDIT-C is positive or clinical suspicion is present, to stratify severity.

At what score is referral to an addiction specialist mandatory?

≥ 16: discussion with the patient and referral are recommended. ≥ 20: referral is mandatory, provided there are no contraindications to specialized care.

Can AUDIT be used to monitor treatment response?

Yes, AUDIT is validated for serial assessment. A decreasing score is an objective marker of treatment progress.

What should be done if a patient is reluctant to answer honestly?

Use indirect markers (GGT, MCV, CDT - carbohydrate-deficient transferrin), interview relatives (with the patient's consent), and monitor over time.

All clinical calculators in one place

Validated scores and formulas with full interpretation, clinical examples and source references. Open access, no registration required.

65+ calculators · scores and formulas · interpretation with management notes

Browse all calculators

АА

Aleksandr A. Aulov Physician, internal medicine, Sechenov School — independent medical education platform. Calculators are compiled from the original publications and current clinical guidelines. Interpretation thresholds follow the source study unless stated otherwise.

This calculator is intended for healthcare professionals. Do not use it for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. Management decisions are made by the treating clinician based on the full clinical picture of the individual patient.