Which of the following is NOT a CAGE screening question?

• A. Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
• B. Have you ever had trouble remembering things after drinking?
• C. Have you ever felt guilty about your drinking?
• D. Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves?

Answer: (B)

The concept being tested is recognizing which item does not belong to the CAGE screening tool for alcohol use disorders. CAGE consists of four quick questions centered on four ideas: a person’s sense that they should cut down on drinking, others’ annoyance or criticism about their drinking, feelings of guilt about drinking, and having a drink first thing in the morning to steady nerves (an eye-opener). The option about having trouble remembering things after drinking is not part of this set; it reflects potential cognitive effects or memory impairments from drinking, not the screening prompts used in CAGE. So that choice is the one that does not fit the CAGE format, which is why it’s the correct answer.