Instructions: Read questions as written. Record answers carefully. Begin the AUDIT by saying "Now I am going to ask you some questions about your use of alcoholic beverages during this past year." Explain what is meant by "alcoholic beverages" by using local examples of beer, wine, vodka, etc. Code answers in terms of "standard drinks." Place the correct answer number in the box at the right.

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

   • (0) Never

   • (1) 1 monthly or less

   • (2) 2 to 4 times a month

   • (3) 2 to 3 times a week

   • (4) 4 or more times a week

   If the score for Question 1 is 0, skip to Question 9.

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

   • (0) 1 or 2

   • (1) 3 or 4

   • (2) 5 or 6

   • (3) 7, 8, or 9

   • (4) 10 or more

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

   • (0) Never

   • (1) Less than monthly

   • (2) Monthly

   • (3) Weekly

   • (4) Daily or almost daily

   Skip to Questions 9 and 10 if total score for Questions 2 and 3 is 0.

4. How often during the last year have you found that you were not able to stop drinking once you had started?

   • (0) Never

   • (1) Less than monthly

   • (2) Monthly

   • (3) Weekly

   • (4) Daily or almost daily

5. How often during the last year have you failed to do what was normally expected from you because of drinking?

   • (0) Never

   • (1) Less than monthly

   • (2) Monthly

   • (3) Weekly

   • (4) Daily or almost daily

6. How often during the last year have you needed a first drink in the morning to get yourself going after a heavy drinking session the night before?

   • (0) Never

   • (1) Less than monthly

   • (2) Monthly

   • (3) Weekly

   • (4) Daily or almost daily

7. How often during the last year have you had a feeling of guilt or remorse after drinking?

   • (0) Never

   • (1) Less than monthly

   • (2) Monthly

   • (3) Weekly

   • (4) Daily or almost daily

8. How often during the last year have you been unable to remember what happened the night before because you had been drinking?

   • (0) Never

   • (1) Less than monthly

   • (2) Monthly

   • (3) Weekly

   • (4) Daily or almost daily

9. Have you or someone else been injured as a result of your drinking?

   • (0) No

   • (2) Yes, but not in the last year

   • (4) Yes, during the last year

10. Has a relative or friend or a doctor or another health worker been concerned about your drinking or suggested you cut down?

    • (0) No

    • (2) Yes, but not in the last year

    • (4) Yes, during the last year

    Total Score:

Scoring: The AUDIT is easy to score. Each of the questions has a set of responses to choose from, and each response has a score ranging from 0 to 4. The interviewer enters the score (the number within parentheses) corresponding to the patient’s response into the box beside each question. All the response scores should then be added and recorded in the box labeled "Total."

Total scores of 8 or more are recommended as indicators of hazardous and harmful alcohol use, as well as possible alcohol dependence. (A cutoff score of 10 will provide greater specificity but at the expense of sensitivity.) Because the effects of alcohol vary with average body weight and differences in metabolism, establishing the cutoff point for all women and men older than 65 years one point lower at a score of 7 will increase sensitivity for these population groups.

Selection of the cutoff point should be influenced by national and cultural standards and by clinician judgment, which also determine recommended maximum consumption allowances. Technically speaking, higher scores simply indicate greater likelihood of hazardous and harmful drinking. However, such scores may also reflect greater severity of alcohol problems and dependence, as well as a greater need for more intensive treatment.

More detailed interpretation of a patient’s total score may be obtained by determining on which questions points were scored. In general, a score of 1 or more on Question 2 or Question 3 indicates consumption at a hazardous level. Points scored above 0 on Questions 4 to 6 (especially weekly or daily symptoms) imply the presence or incipience of alcohol dependence.

Points scored on Questions 7 to 10 indicate that alcohol-related harm is already being experienced. The total score, consumption level, signs of dependence, and present harm all should play a role in determining how to manage a patient. The final two questions should also be reviewed to determine whether patients give evidence of a past problem (i.e., "yes, but not in the past year"). Even in the absence of current hazardous drinking, positive responses on these items should be used to discuss the need for vigilance by the patient.