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🍷 CAGE Questionnaire (Alcohol)

UseBrief alcohol screening in clinical encounters.

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SourceEwing JA. JAMA 1984

Runs locally in your browser (no PHI uploaded). For licensed clinicians — not a substitute for clinical judgement.
Stored on this device for revisit reminders

This-shift next steps

After scoring: open the scene pack, peer scores, and the matching pathway. Local reference — no HIS write.

Score + version; reference only — not a substitute for care · no HIS write

Paste the link in Slack, Teams, X, or LinkedIn — the preview image comes from this page’s Open Graph card.

Methodology · worked example, guidelines & full notes
Clinical takeaway

≥ 2 positive answers warrants fuller assessment.

When to use

Brief alcohol screening in clinical encounters.

How it works

One point each: Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, Eye-opener. ≥ 2 is clinically significant.

Key points

  • ≥ 2 positive answers warrants fuller assessment.
  • Less sensitive for early or at-risk drinking.
  • Consider AUDIT/AUDIT-C for quantity-frequency detail.

References

Worked calculation

The values below come from this tool's own example placeholders and are computed server-side with the formula shown on this page, so the arithmetic can be checked quickly. It demonstrates how to substitute values only — it is not clinical advice and not a real case.

Felt you should Cut down?No
Annoyed by criticism of your drinking?No
Felt Guilty about drinking?No
Eye-opener (drink first thing)?No

→CAGE0/4

  • Interpretation:< 2 — lower likelihood (does not exclude risky drinking).
Felt you should Cut down?Yes
Annoyed by criticism of your drinking?Yes
Felt Guilty about drinking?Yes
Eye-opener (drink first thing)?Yes

→CAGE4/4

  • Interpretation:≥ 2 is clinically significant — assess for alcohol use disorder.
Verification & sources · governance
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What are the limits and cautions when using CAGE Questionnaire (Alcohol)?
For licensed clinicians and clinical researchers. Interpret results with history, investigations and local protocols; not a diagnosis or prescription, and not a substitute for multidisciplinary decision-making or local guidelines.
Does CAGE Questionnaire (Alcohol) upload patient data? Where is it calculated?
Calculation runs locally in the browser; inputs and results are not uploaded. For licensed clinicians only; interpret with history, investigations and local protocols — not a diagnosis or prescription.
How is CAGE Questionnaire (Alcohol) calculated in practice? Can you show a worked example?
Inputs: Felt you should Cut down? No, Annoyed by criticism of your drinking? No, Felt Guilty about drinking? No, Eye-opener (drink first thing)? No → Result: CAGE 0 /4(Interpretation: < 2 — lower likelihood (does not exclude risky drinking).) Inputs: Felt you should Cut down? Yes, Annoyed by criticism of your drinking? Yes, Felt Guilty about drinking? Yes, Eye-opener (drink first thing)? Yes → Result: CAGE 4 /4(Interpretation: ≥ 2 is clinically significant — assess for alcohol use disorder.)
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