Guidance

Guidance on the 5 alcohol use screening tests

Updated 30 October 2020

Applies to England

The following alcohol use screening tests assess a service user’s levels of risk to alcohol harm.

1. Alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT)

This is a 10 question test for assessing a person’s level of alcohol risk.

Health and social care professionals can use AUDIT as a comprehensive screening tool to assess the service user’s level of risk to alcohol harm, by completing 10 questions.

1.1 Giving feedback and advice

You should give feedback to your patient on their AUDIT score and the level of risk identified.

If the score is:

• 7 or below, give positive feedback and encourage your service user to keep their drinking at low-risk levels
• 8 to 19, give brief advice to encourage a reduction in alcohol use and reduce the risk of alcohol harm
• 20 or above, consider referral to specialist alcohol harm assessment

2. Alcohol use disorders identification test for primary care (AUDIT PC)

This is a test for identifying alcohol harm in patients that are in GP surgeries and other primary care settings.

Healthcare professionals working in primary care can use the AUDIT PC tool to assess a service user or patient’s level of risk to alcohol harm by completing 5 questions.

2.1 Giving feedback and advice

You should give feedback to your service user on their AUDIT PC score.

If the score is:

• 4 or below then this is a negative score on AUDIT PC, so give positive feedback and encourage your service user to keep their drinking at low-risk levels
• 5 or above then this is a positive score on AUDIT PC, so give brief advice to encourage your service user to reduce their alcohol use and risk of alcohol harm

3. Alcohol use disorders identification test for consumption (AUDIT C)

This is a test to quickly identify alcohol harm in service users.

You can use the AUDIT C tool to quickly assess your service user’s level of risk to alcohol harm by completing 3 consumption questions.

3.1 Giving feedback and advice

You should give feedback to your service user on their AUDIT C score.

If the score is:

• 4 or below, give positive feedback and encourage your service user to keep their drinking at low-risk levels
• 5 to 10, give brief advice to encourage a reduction in alcohol use and reduce the risk of alcohol harm
• 11 or above, consider referral to specialist alcohol harm assessment

4. Fast alcohol use screening test (FAST)

This is a quick test for health and social care professionals to assess service users at risk of alcohol harm.

FAST was designed for use in emergency departments but it can be used in a wide variety of settings.

This test consists of 4 questions from AUDIT, which are asked in 2 stages.

4.1 Giving feedback and advice

You should give feedback to your service user on their FAST score.

If the score is:

• 2 or below then this is a negative score on FAST, so give positive feedback and encourage your service user to keep their drinking at low risk levels
• 3 or above then this is a positive score on FAST, so give brief advice to encourage your service user to reduce their alcohol use and risk of alcohol harm

5. Single question alcohol use test (M SASQ)

This is a test to quickly assess service users at risk of alcohol harm, known as the modified single answer screening question (M SASQ). You can use this tool if time is limited to assess your service users for alcohol risk, in settings such as emergency departments.

The M SASQ consists of one question from the full 10 question AUDIT. It was developed from the original single alcohol screening question (SASQ).

5.1 Giving feedback and advice

You should give feedback to your service user on their M SASQ score.

If the score is:

• 1 or below then this is a negative score on M SASQ, so give positive feedback and encourage your service user to keep their drinking at low-risk levels
• 2 or above then this is a positive score on M SASQ, so give brief advice to encourage your service user to reduce their alcohol use and risk of alcohol harm