AUDIT-C Alcohol Screener
Three drinking questions to score and verdict.
What it does
Three questions flag risky drinking years before harm lands: how often, how much, and how often too much. AUDIT-C scores the answers 0 to 12 with proven cutoffs by sex. Honesty powers it.
The tool above takes the three standard answers plus sex and prints total with cutoff and verdict. Positives merit brief counseling and retesting; high totals add evaluation. Screens sort; interviews diagnose.
WHO alcohol guidance with NIAAA screening resources carry these same three questions, cutoffs, and counseling pathways. Binge frequency predicts harm best, which is why the third question weighs heaviest in practice.
Answer for a typical recent stretch, not the best week. Undercounting pours and forgetting binges sink accuracy; standard-drink math from labels fixes both. Trends across retests tell the real story.
How to use
- Answer drinking frequency 0-4.
- Answer typical quantity 0-4.
- Answer binge frequency 0-4.
- Pick sex for the cutoff.
- Read total and verdict.
- Counsel positives, retest later.
Formula
- Q1
- Drink frequency 0-4.
- Q2
- Typical day quantity 0-4.
- Q3
- Binge frequency 0-4.
Each question scores 0 to 4 with standard AUDIT-C wording. Cutoffs follow WHO and NIAAA guidance. Screens sort risk; full AUDIT and clinical interviews diagnose.
Worked example
Example: 7 points, positive
Man drinking 2-4 times monthly, 5-6 per day, monthly binges.
- Drinks 2-4 times a month scores 2.
- Typical day 5-6 drinks scores 2.
- Binge monthly scores 2.
- Total is 7 pts for a man.
- Cutoff is 4-plus: positive screen, counsel.
Reference table
| Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 3 | Negative | Check cutoff |
| 4 to 5 | Positive | Positive at 3+ |
| 6 to 7 | Positive | Positive |
| 8 to 12 | Evaluate | Evaluate |
Limits
- Screening only. Interviews diagnose dependence.
- Self-report needs honesty to work.
- Cutoffs are population guides.
- Pregnancy changes all advice.
Common mistakes
- Undercounting pours and binges.
- Cherry-picking the best week.
- Ignoring the sex cutoff difference.
- Stopping at screening without counseling.
- Retesting never.
Try it yourself
Quick checks. Answers sit tucked under each question.
Woman: monthly or less, 1-2 drinks, binges less than monthly?
Total is 1 + 0 + 1 = 2 pts, under the 3+ cutoff: Negative screen.
Man: 2-4 times monthly, 7-9 drinks, binges less than monthly?
Total is 2 + 3 + 1 = 6 pts, over 4+: Positive screen, counsel.
Questions
What are the three questions?
Drink frequency, typical quantity, and binge frequency, each 0 to 4. Totals run 0 to 12 with cutoffs at 4-plus for men and 3-plus for women.
What counts as a binge?
Binge here means 6 or more drinks on one occasion in the WHO wording (some clinics use 5/4). Frequency of binges predicts harm better than totals alone.
What follows a positive screen?
Brief counseling and monitoring, not labels. Positives merit conversation about cutting back plus retesting; high scores add evaluation for dependence.
Why do cutoffs differ by sex?
Men reach risk at higher totals on average due to body water and metabolism differences. Pregnancy makes any drinking a separate concern entirely.
What is one drink here?
Yes: a standard drink is 0.6 oz (14 g) alcohol, so 12 oz of 5 % beer, 5 oz of 12 % wine, or 1.5 oz of 40 % spirits each equal one. Count honestly.
How do I answer accurately?
Shame-free honesty with a clinician, plus tracking apps or paper logs for a month. Screens open conversations; trends guide them.