AUDIT-C is three questions: how often a person drinks, how many standard drinks on a typical drinking day, and how often six or more drinks on one occasion. Each scores 0 to 4. Commonly used cut-offs for further assessment are 4 or more in men and 3 or more in women, though local thresholds vary. A positive screen is a prompt for a fuller conversation, not a diagnosis. Asking in a neutral, routine way, alongside smoking and activity, makes honest answers more likely.
- Ask the three AUDIT-C questions as part of routine lifestyle history.
- Use 4 or more in men and 3 or more in women as a common prompt for fuller assessment.
- Explain what a standard drink means; local drink sizes differ.
- Follow a positive screen with assessment for dependence and withdrawal risk.
Why it matters
A structured question removes the awkwardness that stops most clinicians asking.
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