Validated Screening Methods for Alcohol Use Disorder Recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

  1. Single-question screening: “How many times in the past year have you had five (for men) or four (for women and all adults older than 65 years) or more drinks per day?”
  2. Abbreviated AUDIT-C (three-item questionnaire): http://www.integration.samhsa.gov/images/res/tool_auditc.pdf
  3. AUDIT (10-item questionnaire): http://www.talkingalcohol.com/files/pdfs/WHO_audit.pdf

The Single question Screening is recommended by the NIAAA accurately identifies unhealthy alcohol use. You first ask a pre-screening question before you ask the single screening question.
“Ask a pre-screening question, “Do you sometimes drink alcoholic beverages?”, and then the single screening question, “How many times in the past year have you had X or more drinks in a day?” (where X is 5 for men and 4 for women, and a response of ≥1 is considered positive). Subjects responding negatively to the pre-screening question should still be asked the single screening question.

Definitions:

A standard drink = 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80 proof spirits.
For comparison, one average can of coke is 12 ounces.

AUDIT = Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test; AUDIT-C = Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test–Consumption.

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