π§ͺ DUDIT Drug Use Screening Test
11 questions, scored the clinical way, with honest interpretation.
For informational purposes only, not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional.
The DUDIT (Drug Use Disorders Identification Test) is an 11-question screening developed by researchers at Karolinska Institutet. Scores run 0 to 44: 6 or more for men and 2 or more for women flags possible drug-related problems, and 25 or more suggests likely dependence. Answer all 11 questions above for your score and band.
How to Use This Test
Answer about the past year, honestly and for drugs other than alcohol (alcohol has its own test, the AUDIT). There are no trick questions; each answer maps to 0 to 4 points, with the last two questions scored 0, 2, or 4.
Work through all 11 questions. They cover frequency, quantity, loss of control, craving, neglect of responsibilities, morning use, guilt, harm to self or others, and concern from people around you.
Your score totals automatically as you answer. The result shows the score out of 44 and the band it falls in.
Read the interpretation, then decide on a next step. Scores in the concern range mean a clinician conversation, not a diagnosis. In the US, SAMHSA's National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) is free and confidential, 24/7.
How DUDIT Scoring Works
The first nine questions use a five-point frequency or intensity scale worth 0 to 4. The last two, about harm and about others' concern, are scored 0 for no, 2 for yes but not in the past year, and 4 for yes in the past year, because recent harm weighs more. The cutoffs come from validation studies: Berman and colleagues found that 6+ for men and 2+ for women best identified drug-related problems, and 25+ best identified dependence. Different cutoffs by sex exist because the same use pattern tends to produce more problems at lower scores in women, on average.
Worked Example
Consider someone who uses cannabis 2 to 3 times a week (item 1 = 3), never mixes drugs (item 2 = 0), uses 1 to 2 times on a typical day (item 3 = 1), is heavily influenced monthly (item 4 = 2), feels craving monthly (item 5 = 2), can mostly stop when they want (item 6 = 1), has neglected things less than monthly (item 7 = 1), never needs a morning dose (item 8 = 0), feels guilt monthly (item 9 = 2), has never hurt anyone (item 10 = 0), and had a friend express concern, but not this year (item 11 = 2). Total: 3+0+1+2+2+1+1+0+2+0+2 = 14. That sits in the "likely drug-related problems" band for both sexes, below the 25-point dependence threshold. The pattern here, frequent use plus craving plus guilt, is exactly what the test is built to catch before it becomes dependence.
Reading Your Band Honestly
| Score | Band | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 1 | Low | Drug use unlikely to be causing problems |
| 2 to 5 | Watch (women) | Meets the concern cutoff for women; below it for men |
| 6 to 24 | Problems likely | Brief counseling and professional assessment advised |
| 25 to 44 | Dependence likely | Full clinical assessment and treatment planning needed |
A screening test is a metal detector, not a diagnosis. It tells you where to look, and a clinician confirms what is there. Scores can also under-read when answers are minimized, which is human and common; if your honest answers would be one notch higher on two or three questions, run the test that way too and take the higher band seriously. If nicotine is the concern rather than other drugs, our Fagerstrom nicotine dependence test is the matching tool, and for low mood alongside use, the EPDS screens a different but often related problem.
Limits Worth Knowing
DUDIT was validated in criminal justice, addiction clinic, and general population samples, mostly in Sweden, and cutoffs can shift across cultures and drug types. It does not distinguish which drug is the problem, and prescribed medications taken as directed should not be counted as "drug use" here. A low score with real-life consequences still deserves attention: if use is costing you a job, a relationship, or your health, the number is secondary. And a high score is not a moral verdict; dependence is a medical condition with effective treatments, from counseling to medication-assisted options depending on the substance.
What Happens After a High Score
A score in the concern range usually leads to a brief conversation first, not a treatment program. Clinicians use a style called brief intervention: feedback on the score, emphasis on your own choice, practical advice, and a menu of options. For many people in the 6 to 24 band, that conversation plus a follow-up is enough to change the trajectory. Higher scores, or any score with real-world damage (lost job, DUI, health crisis), lead to a full assessment covering which substances, how much, withdrawal risk, mental health, and safety. Treatment is a menu, not a single path: counseling, mutual-support groups, and for opioids and alcohol there are effective medications (buprenorphine, methadone, naltrexone, acamprosate) that cut relapse rates substantially. The evidence is clear that medication-assisted treatment outperforms willpower alone for opioid dependence. Whatever the band, the score is a starting point for a plan built with a professional, and change is common: most people who resolve a substance problem do so and stay resolved.
For informational purposes only, not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does DUDIT stand for?
Drug Use Disorders Identification Test. It was developed by Anne H. Berman and colleagues at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden as a companion to the WHO's AUDIT, which screens for alcohol. DUDIT covers drugs other than alcohol across 11 questions.
What is a concerning DUDIT score?
6 or more for men and 2 or more for women indicates possible drug-related problems. 25 or more suggests likely dependence. These are screening cutoffs from validation research, not diagnoses, and a clinician confirms what a high score suggests.
Is the DUDIT a diagnosis?
No. It is a screening instrument: it flags patterns worth a professional assessment. Only a qualified clinician making a full evaluation can diagnose a substance use disorder. Think of it as a reason to have a conversation, not the conversation itself.
Should prescribed medications count?
No, not when taken as directed. DUDIT asks about non-medical drug use. If you misuse a prescription (higher doses, more often, or someone else's prescription), that counts, and it is worth discussing with the prescriber.
How accurate is the DUDIT?
Validation studies report good sensitivity and specificity at the standard cutoffs, generally in the 80 to 90 percent range for identifying drug-related problems in the populations studied. Like all screens it produces some false positives and negatives, which is why clinical follow-up matters.
What is the difference between DUDIT and AUDIT?
AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) screens alcohol use with 10 questions; DUDIT screens other drugs with 11. They are companion instruments from the same research tradition. If both alcohol and drugs are in play, take both.
I scored high but feel fine. Should I worry?
A high score means the pattern matches people who develop problems, even if consequences have not landed yet. That is precisely when change is cheapest. Consider it an early warning from a validated instrument rather than waiting for proof in the form of damage.
Where can I get help in the US?
SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 is free, confidential, and open 24/7 for substance use concerns, in English and Spanish. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988) covers mental health crises. Both are starting points, not commitments.
Can I retake the DUDIT to track progress?
Yes, and that is a good use of it. Retake every few months answering about the recent period, and watch the trend rather than any single number. A falling score alongside real-life improvements is meaningful progress.
Does anyone see my answers?
Not through this tool. Your answers stay in your browser and are never sent anywhere. If you want them in a medical record, bring a screenshot or the score to your clinician yourself.