Alcohol Abuse Screening And Assessment

According to SAMHSA’s 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 28.9 million people aged 12 and older had alcohol use disorder in the past year. And yet, only a fraction received treatment. Stigma, lack of awareness, and limited access remain the primary barriers to care.

Testing for alcohol abuse is a fairly straightforward process that should be done by a professional treatment specialist. However, there are some self-assessment tools that can help a person approximately gauge the severity of their addiction.

It helps to know some information on each of the available alcohol abuse screening and assessment tests. Taking the tests and getting an idea of the severity of their alcohol abuse may help encourage a person struggling with alcohol addiction to seek treatment.

What Are Alcohol Abuse Screenings And Assessments?

Alcohol use disorder screenings are typically based on the 11 criteria outlined in the DSM-5, which replaced the earlier DSM-IV criteria in 2013.

Under the DSM-5, alcohol use disorder is diagnosed on a spectrum (mild, moderate, or severe) based on how many criteria a person meets within a 12-month period.

Meeting 2-3 criteria indicates mild AUD; 4-5 moderate; 6 or more severe:

• Is alcohol being used in a way that could harm the addicted person or others?
• Is someone’s alcohol use causing them social or relationship problems?
• Is someone’s alcohol use causing them to neglect their job, school, or home responsibilities?
• Are alcohol withdrawal symptoms present when alcohol isn’t available?
• Are there signs of alcohol tolerance?
• Has alcohol consumption been increasing over time?
• How many unsuccessful attempts to stop or decrease alcohol consumption have been made?
• How much time does a person spend drinking each day?
• Is the consumption of alcohol causing any physical or mental health problems?
• Has drinking alcohol caused someone to avoid activities that they used to enjoy?
• Are there regular cravings for alcohol that make it difficult to concentrate on other tasks?

Types Of Alcohol Abuse Screenings And Assessments

There are several hundred alcohol abuse screening and assessment tests available for physicians and care providers to use in an alcohol abuse screening.

Two of the best types of testing for alcohol abuse are called the Michigan alcohol screening test (MAST) and the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT).

The MAST

The MAST uses 25 yes-or-no questions to assess the lifetime consequences of alcohol use. It is mostly useful for identifying established alcohol use disorder rather than early or moderate patterns of problematic drinking.

The AUDIT

The AUDIT consists of 10 questions covering alcohol consumption, drinking behavior, and alcohol-related problems. It takes about two minutes to complete and is widely used in primary care settings worldwide. A score of 8 or above typically indicates hazardous or harmful alcohol use.

The CAGE

Another widely used brief screening tool is the CAGE questionnaire, which consists of just four questions:

• whether the person has felt they should Cut down on drinking
• whether people have Annoyed them by criticizing their drinking
• whether they have felt Guilty about drinking
• whether they have needed a drink first thing in the morning as an Eye-opener

Two or more “yes” answers suggest a clinically significant alcohol problem warranting further evaluation.

Other Options

Not all alcohol abuse assessments are accurate for testing people who may be in denial about their drinking problem. Because of this, doctors sometimes suggest that their patients take blood tests that check their liver enzymes, blood count, and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin produced by the liver. All of these levels will offer evidence of damage to the body caused by excessive alcohol consumption.

How To Take An Alcohol Abuse Screening And Assessment

Alcohol use disorder screenings can be taken with a primary care provider, at a behavioral health clinic, or through SAMHSA-affiliated treatment programs. Your doctor may use the AUDIT, MAST, or a brief two-question screening tool called the AUDIT-C as a starting point.

If you prefer to self-screen before speaking with a provider, NIAAA’s Rethinking Drinking tool offers a straightforward questionnaire based on current clinical criteria.

Keep in mind that self-assessments can help identify patterns but are not a substitute for a formal clinical evaluation — especially if withdrawal symptoms are present, which require medical supervision.

Find Treatment For Alcohol Use Disorder

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Written by the Addiction Resource Editorial Staff