The AUDIT-C
Brief screening identifies high-risk drinkers
By asking three questions, a healthcare provider can identify patients with high-risk drinking behaviors. Now, clinicians at University Health Services (UHS) are using this effective tool in their daily practices.
The oral screening uses the first three questions of an instrument called the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT); because of its focus on consumption, the brief version is known as the AUDIT-C.
Patients are asked about:
- how frequently they drink alcoholic beverages;
- how many drinks they consume on a typical day;
- how often they have six or more drinks in one sitting.
Responses are assigned a point value and added for a total score, which ranges from 0, reflecting no alcohol use, to a maximum of 12. To score positive, which indicates high-risk drinking behavior, men must register four or more points across all three categories; for women, the threshold is three or more.
If a patient screens positive for high-risk drinking, clinicians will provide referrals to BASICS, the university’s brief intervention program. Students who attend BASICS with a medical referral or on their own can participate in the two-session program free of charge; those facing university sanctions because of their behavior are charged a fee.
