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AUDIT

Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test

The World Health Organization's questionnaire on drinking: it shows whether a patient's alcohol use carries a risk for their health and wellbeing.

Category
Alcohol & drugs
Who fills it in
Self-report
Items
10
Recall period
Last 12 months
On this page

Administer the scale

0 of 3 completed

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Record the patient's response to every item. Entries stay in your browser and are never sent anywhere.

Because alcohol use can affect your health and can interfere with certain medications and treatments, it is important that we ask some questions about your use of alcohol. Your answers will remain confidential so please be honest.

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

    How often do you have a drink containing alcohol?

Question 1 of 3

What it measures

The AUDIT covers three areas: alcohol use (questions 1–3), signs of dependence (questions 4–6) and alcohol-related harm (questions 7–10). The total ranges from 0 to 40 and refers to the last 12 months.

When to use it

The AUDIT is a good choice when you want to know whether a patient's drinking may be harming them, even if they do not see themselves as someone with a drinking problem. It picks up risky drinking early, long before dependence develops. If you only need a very quick check, the AUDIT-C, made up of the first three questions, is a shorter alternative.

Origin

The AUDIT was developed from 1982 onwards on behalf of the World Health Organization by an international group of researchers led by John B. Saunders, Olaf G. Aasland, Thomas F. Babor, Juan Ramón de la Fuente and Marcus Grant, and published in 1993. It was designed as a simple screening tool for primary care that works across countries and cultures.

Validation

The AUDIT was developed in a study with nearly 2,000 patients in six countries (Norway, Australia, Kenya, Bulgaria, Mexico and the USA). With a cutoff of 8 points it detected problematic drinking with a sensitivity generally in the mid-90% range and a specificity averaging in the 80% range. Many later studies confirmed its accuracy across different settings and groups, and a systematic review concluded that it is the best screening tool for the full range of alcohol problems in primary care. The German version was validated in a German general practice sample (Dybek et al., 2006).

Limitations

The AUDIT is a screening questionnaire, not a diagnosis. A high score shows that drinking carries a risk, but a diagnosis of an alcohol use disorder requires a clinical assessment. The score depends on honest answers about the last 12 months. The questions on quantity assume a standard drink of about 10 grams of alcohol, so results can shift slightly depending on local drink sizes. The WHO suggests that a lower cutoff of 7 may be more sensitive for women and people over 65. The score ranges for advice and further assessment are, according to the WHO, a guide that should be combined with clinical judgement.

Frequently asked questions

Is the result a diagnosis?
No. The AUDIT shows whether a patient's drinking carries a risk. Only a doctor or psychotherapist can diagnose an alcohol use disorder after a full assessment.
What counts as one drink?
One drink contains about 10 to 13 grams of pure alcohol – for example a small bottle of beer (330 ml), a small glass of wine or a shot of spirits.
Why are some questions skipped?
If a patient does not drink at all, or only small amounts, some questions do not apply to them. The online version skips them automatically, as recommended by the WHO.
A patient drinks every day. Can they just stop?
If a patient drinks a lot every day, stopping suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms that can be dangerous. They should talk to a doctor before stopping, so it can be done safely.
What is the difference to the AUDIT-C?
The AUDIT-C consists only of the first three questions about how much and how often the patient drinks. It is quicker, but the full AUDIT also shows signs of dependence and alcohol-related harm.
Are the answers stored?
No. The responses are processed only in your browser and are not sent or saved anywhere.

References

  • Saunders JB, Aasland OG, Babor TF, de la Fuente JR, Grant M. Development of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT): WHO Collaborative Project on Early Detection of Persons with Harmful Alcohol Consumption II. Addiction. 1993;88:791-804.
  • 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: World Health Organization; 2001.
  • Dybek I, Bischof G, Grothues J, et al. The reliability and validity of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) in a German general practice population sample. J Stud Alcohol. 2006;67(3):473-481.
  • S3-Leitlinie „Screening, Diagnose und Behandlung alkoholbezogener Störungen“ (AWMF), Anlage AUDIT.
  • auditscreen.org – Frequently Asked Questions.

Licence & attribution

As a WHO-approved instrument, the AUDIT is in the public domain.

No permission needed for any non-commercial purpose (the person completing it is not charged a fee). May be reproduced by any organisation if not materially changed and noted as a WHO-approved instrument.