Which AUDIT-C score in a 45-year-old male is the validated threshold recommended to trigger brief intervention for hazardous alcohol use in primary care settings?

• A AUDIT-C score ≥ 4 for men, ≥ 3 for women ✓
• B AUDIT-C score ≥ 8 for both sexes
• C AUDIT-C score ≥ 2 for all adults
• D Full AUDIT score ≥ 16 required; AUDIT-C alone is insufficient

Explanation

The AUDIT-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Consumption subscale) uses the first three items of the 10-item AUDIT. The validated cut-off for hazardous drinking is a score of ≥ 4 for men and ≥ 3 for women; these thresholds have been endorsed by WHO and validated in primary care settings for triggering brief motivational intervention. A full AUDIT score ≥ 8 indicates hazardous use, and ≥ 16 suggests harmful use or dependence, but the AUDIT-C is a validated screening tool in its own right.

Reference: Kaplan & Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry, 11th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

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