What is the AUDIT?

The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is the most widely used alcohol screening questionnaire in the world. Developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1989, it is designed to identify individuals at risk for hazardous or harmful alcohol use, including those who may meet the criteria for alcohol dependence or alcohol use disorder.

The AUDIT is brief—containing 10 items and requiring only about two minutes to complete. It can be administered by a clinician or self-completed by the patient, and is appropriate for use in primary care, behavioral health, and other clinical settings. In Creyos Health, the AUDIT includes instructions and definitions (such as standard drink units) to support accurate patient responses and promote informed self-reporting.

What It Measures

The 10 items in the AUDIT assess three key domains:

• Alcohol consumption (frequency and quantity)

• Signs of dependence

• Alcohol-related harm

Each item refers to experiences over the past year and is scored from 0 to 4, for a maximum total score of 40.

Scoring and Interpretation

Scores are automatically tallied in Creyos Health, and a report is generated with a classification of the result, interpretation guidance, and graphical tracking over time (if repeated). According to WHO guidelines:

• Scores of 1–7 indicate low-risk alcohol use

• Scores of 8–14 suggest hazardous or harmful use

• Scores of 15 or higher may indicate alcohol dependence or moderate to severe alcohol use disorder

The AUDIT has demonstrated strong psychometric properties. A review by Reinert and Allen (2002) found it to have consistently high sensitivity and specificity across populations, outperforming many other brief screening instruments. The AUDIT is widely considered reliable, valid, and practical for clinical use.

How It Relates to Cognition

Alcohol use—especially chronic or excessive use—can have significant impacts on cognitive function, particularly in areas such as attention, memory, and executive control. By combining the AUDIT with Creyos Health cognitive tasks, clinicians can gain deeper insight into how alcohol use may be affecting real-world functioning and decision-making, and track recovery or progression over time.

Psychometric Properties

The AUDIT has been validated globally across diverse populations. It performs well in both community and clinical samples and is often used as a benchmark in alcohol research and public health initiatives.

Clinical Considerations

While the AUDIT is highly effective for identifying patterns of alcohol use that may require intervention, it is not a diagnostic tool. Positive screens should be followed by a clinical interview, assessment of patient history, and any necessary laboratory or behavioral health evaluations to confirm diagnosis and determine next steps.

The AUDIT can be added to any Creyos Health protocol and paired with cognitive or behavioral health assessments for a more comprehensive evaluation. For more on using the AUDIT in clinical practice, refer to the WHO AUDIT Guidelines for Use in Primary Health Care.

To explore all behavioral and cognitive health tools available in the Creyos platform, refer to the Creyos Standardized Questionnaires Guide.