01 - Scoring & cutoffs
Substance Use · 4 items · 0–4 · Ewing JA (1984). JAMA.
CAGE Questionnaire: Scoring, Cutoffs & Interpretation
Four-item lifetime screen for problem drinking.
Over the your lifetime, how often have you been bothered by…
Yes1
No0
Score
01Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
-
02Have people annoyed you by criticising your drinking?
-
03Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
-
04Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover?
-
0-3score item↑↓moveScored locally - nothing leaves this page
0 of 4
0 / 4
CAGE0 / 4
Over the your lifetime, how often have you been bothered by…
Scored locally - nothing leaves this page
01Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
02Have people annoyed you by criticising your drinking?
03Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
04Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover?
0 of 40 / 4
02 - The clinician's brief
Score
Severity
Interpretation
0–1
Low likelihood
Below the cutoff.
2–4
Positive screen
Two or more is a positive screen and is clinically significant. Assess for an alcohol use disorder.
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