Alcohol Use Screening Tests

Alcohol use screening tests are questionnaires you answer about your alcohol use. Your responses are used to check for unhealthy alcohol use. Unhealthy alcohol use, also called alcohol misuse, use can cause health problems and may lead to alcohol use disorder (AUD).

AUD is a brain disorder in which you can't stop or control your drinking, even though it causes distress and harm. It can cause problems in your work, relationships, and health. AUD can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on your symptoms.

Severe AUD used to be called alcohol dependence and alcoholism. Unhealthy alcohol use can also include binge drinking, which is drinking so much at once that your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level is 0.08% or more. For a man, this usually happens after having five or more drinks within a few hours.

For a woman, it is after about four or more drinks within a few hours. Not everyone who binge drinks has an AUD, but they are at higher risk of getting one. Besides checking for unhealthy alcohol use, alcohol screening tests can let you know if you are at risk for AUD.

This risk may depend on how much, how often, and how quickly you drink alcohol. Knowing that you are at risk may help you to cut back on your drinking. If the alcohol screening test finds that you do have AUD, you and your health care provider can make an effective treatment plan for you.

Why this test is done

Your provider may do a screening test as part of a routine health care visit. You may also have a screening test if a provider thinks that you could have a problem with alcohol. The screening may include questions to help identify if you have symptoms of alcohol use disorder (AUD).

These can include:

• Drinking more or longer than you planned.
• Trying to cut down or quit but being unable to do it.
• Hiding liquor bottles and glasses so others don't see evidence of drinking.
• Having strong cravings for alcohol.
• Continuing to drink even if it causes problems in your personal relationships, work, school, and/or health.
• Building up a tolerance to alcohol. That means you need more and more alcohol to feel its effects.
• Using alcohol when it's not safe, such as driving.
• Having symptoms of withdrawal such as tremors, headache, weakness, sweating, or nausea when you try to stop drinking.

Some people with AUD don't know or want to admit they have a problem. If your family, friends, or co-workers express concerns about your drinking, talk to your provider about getting a screening. Your provider may also recommend a screening if they notice signs and symptoms of an AUD.

How to prepare

You don't need any special preparations for an alcohol use screening test.

Other names for this test

Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), AUDIT-C, Cut down Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener (CAGE) tool, Tolerance, Annoyed Cut down, Eye-opener (T-ACE) tool, Screening with Brief Intervention (SBI) Tool