What is the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) for alcohol consumption?

From the Guidelines

The AUDIT-C is a recommended screening tool for identifying individuals with alcohol use disorders or risky drinking patterns, due to its brevity, validity, and effectiveness in primary care settings. The AUDIT-C consists of three questions that assess frequency of drinking, typical quantity consumed, and frequency of heavy drinking (6 or more drinks on one occasion) 1. Each question is scored from 0-4 points, with a total possible score of 0-12. A score of 4 or more for men and 3 or more for women indicates potentially hazardous drinking that warrants further assessment. The AUDIT-C is valuable in primary care settings because it's quick to administer, validated across diverse populations, and effectively identifies problematic alcohol use before severe dependence develops 2.

Some key points to consider when using the AUDIT-C include:

• The tool is sensitive for detecting alcohol misuse and abuse or dependence, and can be used alone or embedded in broader health risk or lifestyle assessments 2
• The AUDIT-C has good sensitivity and specificity for detecting the full spectrum of alcohol misuse across multiple populations 1
• Brief multicontact behavioral counseling seems to have the best evidence of effectiveness in reducing unhealthy drinking behaviors in adults engaging in risky or hazardous drinking 1
• The AUDIT-C's brevity makes it practical for routine clinical use while still maintaining good sensitivity and specificity for detecting alcohol misuse compared to longer screening instruments 3

Overall, the AUDIT-C is a useful tool for clinicians to initiate conversations about alcohol consumption and provide appropriate interventions or referrals based on the results, with the goal of reducing morbidity, mortality, and improving quality of life.

From the Research

AUDIT C Overview

• The AUDIT C is a screening tool used to identify individuals who may be at risk for alcohol misuse or dependence 4, 5, 6.
• It is a shortened version of the full AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) and consists of only the first three questions, which focus on alcohol consumption 4, 5, 6.

Effectiveness of AUDIT C

• Studies have shown that the AUDIT C is an effective tool for screening for hazardous drinking, with high sensitivity and specificity 5, 6.
• One study found that the AUDIT C performed better than the full AUDIT in detecting harmful drinking in a resource-limited setting 5.
• Another study found that the AUDIT C was more useful than pre-existing laboratory tests, such as the AST/ALT ratio and MCV, for predicting hazardous drinking 6.

Comparison to Other Screening Tools

• The AUDIT C has been compared to other screening tools, such as the AUDIT-3, and has been found to be more effective in detecting hazardous drinking 5.
• The AUDIT C has also been compared to the full AUDIT and has been found to be almost as effective, but with the advantage of being shorter and easier to administer 5.

Clinical Applications

• The AUDIT C can be used in clinical settings as a routine screening tool to identify individuals who may be at risk for alcohol misuse or dependence 4, 5, 6.
• It can be used to provide brief counseling and referral for further evaluation and intervention for those who screen positive for hazardous drinking 4, 5, 6.