AUDIT C Alcohol Use Screening Calculator

AUDIT C Alcohol Use Screening Explanation and Clinical Context AUDIT C is a validated three item alcohol screening tool designed to rapidly identify patterns of drinking that may represent hazardous or harmful alcohol use. It evaluates how often a person drinks alcoholic beverages alongside the number of drinks typically consumed and how frequently episodes of heavy drinking occur. Each question contributes zero to three points which results in a total score of zero to twelve.

Higher scores reflect higher probability of risky alcohol use. A total score of four or more in men or three or more in women is often considered a positive screening result. Although AUDIT C does not diagnose alcohol use disorder its clinical utility lies in guiding clinicians to recognize patients who may benefit from deeper assessment brief intervention or referral for treatment.

This tool is useful in primary care emergency settings and routine health evaluations where early recognition of problematic alcohol use improves long term outcomes. Reference Babor TF Higgins Biddle JC Saunders JB Monteiro MG. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test.

Guidelines for Use in Primary Care. World Health Organization. 2001.