Classic 4-item screening test for alcohol problems. ≈ 1 min to complete. Free with attribution.
CAGE (CAGE Questionnaire) is a validated clinical instrument used to assess classic 4-item screening test for alcohol problems.. It is most often used for classic 4-item screening test for alcohol problems.. The instrument contains 4 items. Typical administration time is ≈ 1 min.
Source / attribution: Free to use with citation
Classic 4-item screening test for alcohol problems. CAGE is part of standard practice in this setting because it provides a structured, replicable assessment that can be tracked over time and compared across patients or visits.
Like all screening or assessment instruments, CAGE is a structured aid — not a diagnostic test in isolation. Results should be interpreted alongside history, examination, and clinical context. Where a score crosses an actionable threshold, the next step is typically a more detailed clinical evaluation rather than a definitive diagnosis.
Answer all 4 items below to see your CAGE score and interpretation.
All scoring runs in your browser. No data is sent anywhere — close the tab and the answers are gone.
Score 1 point per yes answer. Total range 0-4. Score >= 2 suggests alcohol problems.
Scoring notes: Score 1 point per yes answer. Total range 0-4. Score >= 2 suggests alcohol problems.
The cutoffs below are drawn from the published validation literature. Always interpret in clinical context.
| Score range | Band | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 0–1 | Low risk | None |
| 2–4 | Possible alcohol problem | Further evaluation |
This is an illustrative walkthrough, not a real patient. Follow the same four steps with your own answers — or use the live calculator at the top of this page.
Mark each item Yes or No. Each "Yes" adds the item's weight; each "No" adds 0. The example below uses illustrative answers.
| # | Item | Example response | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Have you ever felt you should Cut down on your drinking? | Yes | 1 |
| 2 | Have people Annoyed you by criticizing your drinking? | Yes | 1 |
| 3 | Have you ever felt bad or Guilty about your drinking? | Yes | 1 |
| 4 | Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover (Eye-opener)? | No | 0 |
Add the weights from the items where you marked "Yes" (skip the "No" answers — they contribute 0).
1 + 1 + 1 + 0 = 3
Find the row in the interpretation table whose range contains your total:
Total = 3 falls between 2 and 4 → Possible alcohol problem
Possible alcohol problem. Further evaluation
A score is one input alongside history and examination. CAGE supports clinical judgment — it does not replace it.
Psychometric figures are drawn from the validation literature and may vary across clinical populations and translations.
If CAGE doesn't fit your context, related instruments in addiction include:
| Scale | Measures | Items | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUDIT | 10-item WHO screening tool for hazardous alcohol consumption and dependence. | 10 | ≈ 3 min |
| AUDIT-C | 3-item brief version of AUDIT for quick alcohol screening in clinical settings. | 3 | ≈ 1 min |
| DAST-10 | 10-item brief screener for drug use problems excluding alcohol and tobacco. | 10 | ≈ 3 min |
| FTND | 6-item measure of nicotine dependence severity for smoking cessation planning. | 6 | ≈ 2 min |
| PHQ-9 | Severity of depression | 9 | ≈ 3 minutes |
| GAD-7 | Severity of generalized anxiety | 7 | ≈ 2 minutes |
| CHA2DS2-VASc | Annual stroke risk in non-valvular atrial fibrillation | 8 | — |
| Glasgow Coma Scale | Level of consciousness after head injury | 3 | — |
CAGE (CAGE Questionnaire) is a validated instrument that assesses a classic 4-item screening test for alcohol problems. It is designed for clinicians, medical students, evidence-synthesis researchers. It takes about 1 min to complete, and the 4 items are summed to produce a total score.
CAGE typically takes about 1 min to administer. The exact duration varies a little depending on whether it is self-administered or completed with a clinician. Its brief format is part of what makes it practical for routine clinical use and for repeat administration when tracking change over time.
CAGE contains 4 items. Item scores are summed to produce the total. Scores run from 0 to 4, grouped into 2 interpretation bands from ‘Low risk’ up to ‘Possible alcohol problem’.
On the CAGE (total score 0–4), scores of 2–4 fall in the ‘Possible alcohol problem’ band — interpreted as: Further evaluation. The full ladder is: 0–1 — Low risk: None.; 2–4 — Possible alcohol problem: Further evaluation. A higher score reflects a more severe presentation, and crossing a cutoff is a prompt to step up assessment or care — but these bands are screening thresholds, not diagnoses.
Scores of 0–1 fall in the ‘Low risk’ band: None. A low score is reassuring but does not by itself rule out the underlying condition — if symptoms or clinical suspicion persist, reassess over time or use a complementary evaluation rather than relying on the number alone.
CAGE has reported Cronbach's α of 0.85 in validation samples and test–retest reliability of 0.7. Sensitivity 71%, specificity 90% for alcoholism. In practical terms, a Cronbach’s α around 0.85 indicates good internal consistency (the items hang together well), and a test–retest reliability of 0.7 means scores are well when the scale is repeated without real clinical change.
CAGE is free to use with attribution — clinical, educational, and research use is permitted provided the original source is credited. If you publish results or reproduce the scale, include the citation to the source paper.
Ewing, J. A. (1984). Detecting alcoholism: The CAGE questionnaire. Journal of the American Medical Association, 252(14), 1905-1907. This is the original publication for the CAGE — the reference to cite when reporting results.
No. CAGE is a structured assessment aid, not a diagnostic test. Its proper role is assessment with the CAGE — it standardizes assessment and flags who needs closer evaluation, but the result must be weighed alongside history, examination, and clinical context. When a score conflicts with your clinical impression, clinical judgment takes precedence; treatment decisions should never rest on a screening score alone.
CAGE is supported by the following peer-reviewed sources: