Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test

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Abbreviation
AUDIT
Description

"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."

Category
Substance Use
Subcategory
Alcohol