AUDIT Test — Free WHO Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test
The WHO-developed 10-item alcohol screener — 5 minutes, scores 0-40, the global gold standard for alcohol use disorder screening. Confidential. Free in the Mindtalk app.
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Keerthi Sagar, MD Psychiatry MBBS. Last reviewed 2026-09-25.
Addiction helplines and clinical pathway
You do not need to be ready to quit to deserve support. Confidential help is available right now via the lines below — and a Mindtalk clinician can help whether you want harm-reduction guidance, controlled drinking goals, or abstinence support. For medical concerns related to withdrawal, go to an emergency room — alcohol withdrawal can be medically dangerous.
- NACO Drug De-Addiction Helpline (Govt of India, 24/7): 1800-11-0031
- Vandrevala Foundation (24/7): 1860 2662 345
- Cadabams 24/7: +91 97414 76476
All lines listed are free and confidential.
AUDIT score interpretation
| Score | Risk band | What it means | Suggested next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-7 | Low risk | Drinking within low-risk patterns | Continue current patterns; no action needed |
| 8-15 | Hazardous | Drinking patterns that put you at increased risk | Harm-reduction conversation with a clinician |
| 16-19 | Harmful | Drinking causing physical or psychological harm | Clinical intervention recommended |
| 20+ | Likely dependence | High likelihood of alcohol dependence | Clinical assessment essential |
These are the WHO-published cut-offs widely used in clinical practice globally. Indian studies have found different optimal cut-offs in different settings (see Validation and evidence below); consult a Mindtalk clinician for context-specific interpretation.
A score of 8 or more is where most guidance suggests a conversation about cutting down. For what an alcohol problem looks like over time, read about alcohol addiction. If other substances are involved too, the Drug Addiction Test screens for substance dependency.
What the 10 questions cover
- Items 1-3 — Consumption (how often, how much, how often 6+ drinks)
- Items 4-6 — Dependence behaviours (impaired control, prioritising drinking, withdrawal-like morning drinking)
- Items 7-10 — Alcohol-related problems (guilt, blackouts, injuries to self or others, others' concern)
When to act on your result
- Score 0-7 — No action. Healthy drinking pattern. If you took the AUDIT because of a specific concern (an event, others' comment), consider why and whether it deserves further attention.
- Score 8-15 — Harm-reduction conversation. Consider booking a Mindtalk clinician for a single conversation about reducing consumption. The Mindtalk Addiction assessments category includes the SOCRATES 8A (readiness for change) which complements AUDIT.
- Score 16-19 — Clinical evaluation recommended. Speak with a Mindtalk clinician trained in addiction medicine. Cadabams provides both outpatient and residential addiction treatment.
- Score 20+ — Clinical assessment essential. Likely alcohol dependence warrants comprehensive evaluation. Do not stop drinking abruptly if you have been drinking heavily daily — alcohol withdrawal can be medically dangerous (seizures, delirium tremens). Medically supervised detoxification is a safer pathway.
Withdrawal — when it is medically dangerous
If you have been drinking 6+ drinks daily for an extended period, never stop abruptly without medical guidance. Alcohol withdrawal can cause seizures and delirium tremens, both potentially fatal. Medically supervised detoxification is a safer and more comfortable pathway — typically a 5-7 day inpatient process. Cadabams provides medically supervised detoxification as part of its de-addiction treatment programme.
Validation and evidence
The AUDIT came out of a six-country WHO collaborative project and was published by Saunders, Aasland, Babor, de la Fuente and Grant in 1993. The 10 questions were chosen from a 150-item schedule given to 1,888 people attending primary-care clinics. Each answer is scored 0-4, giving a maximum of 40. Among people diagnosed with hazardous or harmful drinking, 92% scored 8 or more, and 94% of people with non-hazardous drinking scored under 8 [1]. The 8-15 / 16-19 / 20+ risk zones come from the WHO's guidance on using the AUDIT in primary care [2].
In India, a Delhi study of 297 drinkers from a de-addiction centre and a community setting found very high internal consistency (alpha 0.92). The best cut-offs there were higher than WHO's: 16 for ICD-10 harmful use (85.3% sensitivity, 89.4% specificity) and 24 for dependence [3]. A community study of men in Goa found the opposite: lower cut-offs (6-12 for abuse, 13 or more for dependence) worked best [4]. So the right threshold depends on the setting. That is why a clinician should read your score alongside your history.
References
- Saunders JB, Aasland OG, Babor TF, de la Fuente JR, Grant M. Development of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT): WHO Collaborative Project on Early Detection of Persons with Harmful Alcohol Consumption--II. Addiction. 1993;88(6):791-804. PubMed
- Babor TF, Higgins-Biddle JC, Saunders JB, Monteiro MG. AUDIT: The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Guidelines for Use in Primary Care. 2nd ed. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2001.
- Pal HR, Jena R, Yadav D. Validation of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) in urban community outreach and de-addiction center samples in north India. J Stud Alcohol. 2004;65(6):794-800. PubMed
- Endsley P, Weobong B, Nadkarni A. Psychometric properties of the AUDIT among men in Goa, India. Asian J Psychiatr. 2017;29:54-58. PubMed
Pair with related Mindtalk tools
- The Addiction assessments category includes SOCRATES 8A (readiness for change), SDS and LDQ (dependence severity), RCQ (stage of change), and the EGST (excessive gaming) for users with multiple addiction concerns
- For families of people with alcohol concerns, see the Addiction page's family section on the CRAFT approach
- The doctors directory lists Cadabams clinicians trained in addiction medicine; filter for addiction specialism
How to take the AUDIT
- 1
Open the AUDIT in the Mindtalk app
Tap "Take the AUDIT" to open the assessment. You will need a free Mindtalk account — sign-in takes under a minute. Results stay private to your account.
- 2
Answer the 10 questions
For each item, choose the response that best describes your drinking over the past year. The first three items cover consumption; items 4-6 cover dependence behaviours; items 7-10 cover alcohol-related problems. The whole questionnaire takes 5 minutes.
- 3
Get your score and risk band
You receive a total score (0-40) and a risk band (low, hazardous, harmful, or likely dependence). The app surfaces appropriate next steps — from harm-reduction resources for hazardous drinking to specialist consultation options for harmful or dependent patterns.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does the AUDIT test measure?
- The AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) is a 10-item screener developed by the World Health Organisation. It measures alcohol consumption (quantity and frequency), drinking behaviours indicating dependence (impaired control, prioritising drinking, withdrawal-like symptoms), and alcohol-related problems (injuries, others' concern, guilt about drinking). It is the most widely used alcohol screening tool globally, validated across cultures and settings. Takes 5 minutes.
- What do AUDIT scores mean?
- Standard interpretation — 0-7 = low risk drinking (drinking within low-risk patterns); 8-15 = hazardous drinking (drinking patterns that put you at increased risk; harm reduction conversation warranted); 16-19 = harmful drinking (drinking causing physical or psychological harm; clinical intervention recommended); 20+ = likely alcohol dependence (high likelihood of dependence; clinical assessment essential). These are WHO-published cut-offs widely used in clinical practice. Indian cut-offs may differ slightly; consult a clinician for context-specific interpretation.
- Will the AUDIT diagnose alcoholism?
- No. The AUDIT is a screening tool — it identifies people who would benefit from further clinical assessment. Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) diagnosis requires comprehensive clinical evaluation by a clinician trained in addiction medicine. The screener is the start; clinical assessment is the next step for elevated scores. The benefit of a screener is identifying patterns that warrant attention even when you would not seek out clinical assessment otherwise.
- Is the AUDIT confidential?
- Yes. When taken in the Mindtalk app, your results are stored privately under your account. They are not shared with employers, family, or third parties without your explicit permission. We understand alcohol concerns carry significant stigma; the screening is designed to be a private, non-judgemental first step. Cadabams addiction clinicians follow standard medical confidentiality.
- If I score high, do I have to quit drinking immediately?
- No. Modern addiction treatment does not demand immediate abstinence — it uses motivational interviewing to meet you where you are. For hazardous drinking (8-15), the conversation is often about reducing harm and cutting back rather than quitting. For harmful or dependent drinking (16+), clinical evaluation determines whether harm reduction or abstinence is the right goal — based on your situation, history, preferences, and severity. The Mindtalk Addiction assessment category includes SOCRATES 8A (readiness for change) which complements AUDIT for treatment planning. You do not need to be ready to quit to benefit from a clinical conversation.
- Is the AUDIT valid in India?
- Yes, with a caveat on cut-offs. A study of 297 drinkers in Delhi found very high internal reliability (alpha 0.92), with an optimal cut-off of 16 for ICD-10 harmful use and 24 for dependence. A community study of men in Goa found lower optimal cut-offs (6-12 for alcohol abuse, 13 or more for dependence). The WHO bands are a sound starting point, but a clinician should interpret your score in context.
Need a clinician's read on your results?
A high score is a signal, not a diagnosis. Mindtalk's psychiatrists and clinical psychologists can interpret your results and recommend next steps — same-day appointments available.