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AUDIT-C alcohol screen

Also called AUDIT C, alcohol use screening, AUDIT consumption questions

The three alcohol-consumption questions of the WHO AUDIT (0–12), with sex-specific cut-offs for alcohol misuse.

1. How often do you have a drink containing alcohol?
2. Drinks on a typical drinking day
3. How often 6 or more drinks on one occasion?
Sex

Fill 4 more fields to see the result.

Formula and scoring

Questions 1–3 of the WHO AUDIT, each 0–4 (total 0–12). Positive: ≥4 in men, ≥3 in women (Bradley 2007).

Exam and ward pearls

  • Cut-offs that best balanced sensitivity and specificity: ≥4 men (0.86/0.89), ≥3 women (0.73/0.91).
  • For detecting heavy drinking, AUDIT-C did as well as the full 10-item AUDIT in the original VA study (AUROC 0.891 vs 0.881; Bush 1998).

When not to rely on it

  • Cut-offs were set in US clinics; drink sizes differ in India, so ask about actual volumes.
  • A screen for misuse, not a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder.

Source

  1. Bush K, Kivlahan DR, McDonell MB, Fihn SD, Bradley KA. The AUDIT alcohol consumption questions (AUDIT-C): an effective brief screening test for problem drinking. Arch Intern Med. 1998;158(16):1789-95. doi:10.1001/archinte.158.16.1789 · PMID 9738608
  2. Bradley KA, DeBenedetti AF, Volk RJ, Williams EC, Frank D, Kivlahan DR. AUDIT-C as a brief screen for alcohol misuse in primary care. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2007;31(7):1208-17. doi:10.1111/j.1530-0277.2007.00403.x · PMID 17451397
  3. Babor TF, Higgins-Biddle JC, Saunders JB, Monteiro MG. AUDIT: the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Guidelines for use in primary care. 2nd ed. Geneva: WHO; 2001 (WHO/MSD/MSB/01.6a). Link

Formula and cut-offs checked against these sources on 8 Nov 2026. Educational tool for clinicians; it does not replace clinical judgement.

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