AUDIT-C: A Vital Tool for Alcohol Screening in Primary Care

The AUDIT-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test – Concise) is an essential screening tool that enables General Practitioners to efficiently identify patients with hazardous drinking patterns or potential alcohol use disorders. This brief, evidence-based questionnaire can be seamlessly incorporated into routine health assessments, providing valuable clinical insights with minimal time investment. Download the AUDIT-C at the bottom of the page.

What is the AUDIT-C?

The AUDIT-C consists of just three questions that assess frequency of alcohol consumption, typical quantity consumed, and frequency of binge drinking episodes. Its brevity makes it ideal for busy primary care settings, while its sensitivity and specificity have been validated across diverse patient populations.

The three questions evaluate:

1. How often the patient consumes alcohol
2. How many standard drinks they typically consume on drinking days
3. How frequently they consume six or more drinks on a single occasion

Scoring is straightforward, with each question scored 0-4 points, yielding a total possible score of 0-12. Higher scores indicate increased likelihood of hazardous drinking patterns or alcohol dependence.

Question	Response Options	Score (0–4)
1. How often do you have a drink containing alcohol?	Never Monthly or less 2–4 times a month 2–3 times a week 4 or more times a week	0 1 2 3 4
2. How many standard drinks do you have on a typical day when you are drinking?	1 or 2 3 or 4 5 or 6 7 to 9 10 or more	0 1 2 3 4
3. How often do you have six or more standard drinks on one occasion?	Never Less than monthly Monthly Weekly Daily or almost daily	0 1 2 3 4

Total Score: 0–12. A score of ≥4 for men or ≥3 for women suggests hazardous drinking.

Implementing AUDIT-C in Your Practice

The AUDIT-C can be efficiently incorporated into your practice workflow through several approaches:

• Include it in new patient registration paperwork
• Add it to annual health check questionnaires (MBS items 701-707)
• Integrate it into chronic disease management reviews (MBS item 721,723,732)
• Implement it within electronic health record templates
• Implement it in all mental health consultations (MBS 2700-2717)

The screening requires less than one minute to complete and score, making it practical even during time-constrained consultations.

Clinical Pathway Following Screening

For patients with positive AUDIT-C results (typically scores ≥4 for men and ≥3 for women), we recommend:

1. Further assessment: Conduct the full 10-question AUDIT to gather comprehensive information about alcohol-related problems and dependence. 
2. Risk level determination: Categorise patients as low, moderate, or high risk based on full AUDIT scores.
3. Brief intervention: Provide structured feedback using the Motivational interviewing framework. 
4. Perform dependence assessment: For those with high AUDIT scores or suspected dependence, the SADQ may be appropriate for assessing severity. Read our resource on the Severity of Alcohol Questionnaire.
5. Implement appropriate management: Based on risk level and dependence assessment, ranging from brief advice to specialist withdrawal referral

Benefits of Early Identification and Intervention

Implementing routine AUDIT-C screening enables earlier intervention, potentially preventing progression to severe dependence and reducing alcohol-related complications. Brief interventions following positive screening have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing consumption among hazardous drinkers.

Our Home Detox Service: AIR Detox

For patients identified with alcohol dependence requiring medically supervised withdrawal, our specialised Alcohol Home Detox Service offers a safe, effective alternative to inpatient care. This service provides:

• Comprehensive medical assessment prior to detoxification
• Individualised withdrawal management plans
• Regular monitoring by qualified healthcare professionals
• Seamless transition to long-term recovery support

Referring patients is straightforward –  complete our online referral via Medical Objects (Dr Hok Yee Siu 480356GY) or patients can self-refer via our website. GPs can call and discuss any patient with us at any time. We keep referring GPs updated with detailed discharge summaries and letters after aftercare appointments to ensure continuity of care.

Download the AUDIT-C today and enhance your practice’s ability to address alcohol-related health concerns efficiently and comprehensively.

For additional resources and information specifically for healthcare professionals, please visit our dedicated clinicians‘ page.