About this tool
- •The AUDIT-C is a 3-item, free, validated alcohol-use screening tool — a shortened version of the 10-item AUDIT focused on consumption patterns.
- •Each item is scored 0-4 (total range 0-12). Higher scores indicate riskier drinking patterns.
- •Cutoffs: 4+ for men, 3+ for women indicates increased risk for alcohol-related problems and warrants further assessment.
- •AUDIT-C is widely used in primary care and is recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for routine alcohol screening.
- •A high AUDIT-C is NOT a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder — but it is a clinical signal that further evaluation is appropriate.
- •Relevant for ketamine therapy: heavy alcohol use is a clinical consideration in ketamine treatment planning, both for safety and because untreated alcohol use disorder reduces depression treatment response.
- •AUDIT-C was developed by Bush, Kivlahan, McDonell, Fihn, and Bradley (1998) at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It is in the public domain.
Take the AUDIT-C
These questions ask about your alcohol use over the past year. Please answer based on a typical year — honest responses help inform appropriate clinical care.
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Your answers are processed in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent to anyone — including Tovani — until you choose to.
Frequently asked
Why does my Tovani screening ask about alcohol?
Alcohol use interacts with both mental health and ketamine therapy in clinically important ways. Heavy alcohol use can worsen depression and anxiety symptoms, reduce treatment response, and creates safety considerations when ketamine is being considered. Honest screening helps your clinician build the safest, most effective treatment plan.
Will this affect whether I can get ketamine therapy?
Not automatically. Many patients with elevated AUDIT-C scores are still appropriate for ketamine therapy — but the conversation with your clinician will include alcohol-use planning. For severe alcohol use disorder, your physician may recommend stabilizing that pattern first before starting ketamine, both for safety and to give the antidepressant effect the best chance to work.
I drink "normally" but score high. Should I be worried?
The AUDIT-C uses standard cutoffs based on population research, not personal feelings. A score above the cutoff is a clinical signal worth discussing — it doesn't mean you're an "alcoholic" (a stigmatized term clinicians rarely use anymore). It means your pattern is associated with elevated risk for alcohol-related health problems and warrants attention.
Does this stay private?
Your screening is scored in your browser only. If you choose to save it to your Tovani chart after the result (optional, with explicit consent), the information becomes part of your protected health record visible only to you and your treating clinicians at Tovani. HIPAA protections apply.
Should I take this if I don't drink at all?
If you don't drink, you'll score 0 — which is informative for your clinician and rules out alcohol as a treatment-planning consideration. Take it if asked; skip it if you prefer not to.
References
- Murrough JW et al. 2013, American Journal of Psychiatry. Ketamine RCT in treatment-resistant depression — relevant because alcohol use disorder commonly co-occurs with TRD and affects both treatment response and safety planning. PMID 23982301
- Sanacora G et al. 2017, JAMA Psychiatry. APA consensus on ketamine for depression — clinical-context guidance for patients with co-occurring substance use considerations. PMID 28249076