"The AUDIT was developed by Tom Babor and others for the World Health Organization to identify persons whose alcohol consumption has become hazardous or harmful to their health. It is a 10-item screening questionnaire with 3 questions on the amount and frequency of drinking, 3 questions on alcohol dependence, and 4 on problems caused by alcohol. All of the questions are scored using a 5-point Likert scale. The AUDIT takes under 2 minutes to administer. The AUDIT screening procedure in clinical settings is linked to a decision process that includes brief intervention with heavy drinkers, or referral to specialized treatment for patients who show evidence of more serious alcohol involvement. Populations appropriate for a screening program using the AUDIT include primary care, emergency room, surgery, and psychiatric patients; DWI offenders, criminals in court, jail and prison; enlisted men in the Armed Forces; workers encountered in employee assistance programs and industrial settings; and college students. Another feature of the AUDIT is the optional Clinical Screening Procedure, which consists of two questions about traumatic injury, five items on clinical examination, and a blood test (the serum GGT). The Clinical Screening Procedure does not refer directly to problems with alcohol and may be particularly relevant for defensive patients in situations where alcohol-specific questions cannot be asked with confidence. The AUDIT is currently being used in a variety of research projects and epidemiological studies. Research guidelines incorporated into the AUDIT manual suggest further research using this instrument."