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Alcohol Use Self-Screening (AUDIT-C)

Three questions, about a minute, no account or sign-up. This won’t tell you whether you have “a problem” — it’s a validated screening tool that gives you a score and what that score commonly indicates, same as a nurse might ask at a checkup.

Sex (cutoffs differ)
1. How often do you have a drink containing alcohol?
2. How many standard drinks do you have on a typical day when you're drinking?
3. How often do you have 6 or more drinks on one occasion?

This is a screening tool, not a diagnosis

AUDIT-C is a validated 3-question screener used in clinical settings to flag drinking patterns worth a closer look — it doesn’t diagnose alcohol use disorder or anything else, and it isn’t a substitute for talking to a doctor. If you drink heavily and daily and feel shaky, sweaty, anxious, or unwell when you stop or cut back, that can indicate physical dependence, where stopping abruptly can be medically dangerous — that’s a conversation for a doctor, not a self-directed plan.

What the AUDIT-C is

The AUDIT-C is the three consumption questions from the World Health Organization’s 10-question Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). Researchers found these three questions alone screen for risky drinking almost as well as the full test, which is why it is now widely used in primary care, including by the US Veterans Health Administration.

  • How often do you have a drink containing alcohol?
  • How many standard drinks do you have on a typical day when you are drinking?
  • How often do you have six or more drinks on one occasion?

How it is scored

Each answer scores 0–4, for a total of 0–12. A score of 4 or more for men (3 or more for women) is considered a positive screen for risky or hazardous drinking. Scores of 8 and above are more often associated with more severe alcohol problems.

A positive screen is not a diagnosis. It means your drinking pattern is in a range that research links to higher health risk and is worth a closer look — on your own, or with a doctor.

If you want to cut back

Counting drinks accurately is the most useful first step, because restaurant pours are often more than one standard drink. Setting specific alcohol-free days, alternating with non-alcoholic drinks, and noticing which situations drive heavier drinking all help. If you’ve tried to cut back and found it hard, or you get shaky, sweaty or anxious when you stop, talk to a doctor — stopping suddenly after heavy daily drinking can be medically risky.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good AUDIT-C score?

Lower is better. For men, a score under 4 is below the standard cutoff for risky drinking; for women, under 3.

Is the AUDIT-C accurate?

Yes. It has been validated in multiple large studies as an effective brief screen for risky drinking and alcohol use disorders, though like any screener it is not a diagnosis.

What counts as one drink?

In the US, a standard drink contains 14 g of pure alcohol: about 12 oz of 5% beer, 5 oz of 12% wine, or 1.5 oz of 40% liquor.

Is my answer saved?

No. The screener runs in your browser and nothing you enter is stored.

Sources

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