Screening Tests

CAGE Questionnaire, A Screening Test for Alcohol Dependence:
This simple 4-question self-test may provide better understanding of alcohol use or abuse behavioral patterns.

1. Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
Yes / No

2. Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
Yes / No

3. Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
Yes / No

4. Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover (eye-opener)?
Yes / No

Scoring: Each score is given values of “0” for “no” or “1” for “yes”. Two or more “Yes” responses or a total score of “2+” indicates a clinically significant findings requiring further assessment.

DAST Questionnaire- A Screening Test for Drug Abuse and Dependence:
This questionnaire provides a better understanding of the common indications of drug abuse and addiction. Suggested direction is provided pursuant to scoring results. “Drug” means any of the following: Prescription drugs (such as painkillers, sleeping pills, or medications prescribed for treatment of attention deficit disorder) Illegal drugs (such as heroin, cocaine, Ecstasy, PCP, or marijuana); Alcohol (such as beer, wine, malt liquor, “hard” alcohol, or cocktails).

1. Have you used drugs other than those needed for medical reasons?
Yes / No

2. Have you misused prescription drugs?
Yes / No

3. Do you misuse more than one drug at a time?
Yes / No

4. Can you get through the week without using drugs (other than those needed for medical reasons)?
Yes / No

5. Are you always able to stop using drugs?
Yes / No

6. Do you misuse drugs on a continuous basis?
Yes / No

7. Do you try to limit your use of drugs to certain situations?
Yes / No

8. Have you had “blackouts” or “flashbacks” as a result of drug use?
Yes / No

9. Do you ever feel bad about your drug misuse?
Yes / No

10. Does your spouse (or parents) ever complain about your involvement with drugs?
Yes / No

11. Do your friends or relatives know or suspect that you misuse drugs?
Yes / No

12. Has misuse of drugs ever created problems between you and your spouse (or parents)?
Yes / No

13. Has any family member ever sought help for problems related to your use of drugs?
Yes / No

Have you ever:

14. Lost friends because of your use of drugs?
Yes / No

15. Neglected your family or missed work because of your use of drugs?
Yes / No

16. Been in trouble at work because of drug misuse?
Yes / No

17. Lost a job because of drug misuse?
Yes / No

18. Gotten into fights when under the influence of drugs?
Yes / No

19. Been arrested because of unusual behavior while under the influence of drugs?
Yes / No

20. Been caught driving while under the influence of drugs?
Yes / No

21. Engaged in illegal activities to obtain drugs?
Yes / No

22. Been arrested for possession of illegal drugs?
Yes / No

23. Experienced withdrawal symptoms as a result of heavy drug intake?
Yes / No

24. Had medical problems as a result of your drug use (eg, memory loss, hepatitis, convulsions, or bleeding)?
Yes / No

25. Gone to anyone for help for a problem with drugs?
Yes / No

26. Been in a hospital for medical problems related to your use of drugs?
Yes / No

27. Been involved in a treatment program specifically related to drug use?
Yes / No

28. Been treated as an outpatient for problems related to drug dependence or misuse?
Yes / No

Skinner HA. The Drug Abuse Screening Test. Addictive Behavior. 1982;7:363-371. Reprinted with permission from Elsevier, Ltd.

Scoring: Regardless of a person’s score, the dependence identifier cannot diagnose dependence, nor is it “proof” of a substance-use problem. The identifier is meant only for use in helping to identify situations where an individual may benefit from further evaluation for substance misuse problems.

An answer of “no” to questions 4, 5, or 7 is equal to 1 point. For all other questions, each “yes” answer is equal to 1 point.

A score of 6 or more is considered reasonable basis for further assessment for a possible substance misuse problem.

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