NCJ Number
56080
Date Published
1978
Length
114 pages
Annotation
THE PHILOSOPHICAL AND POLITICAL FORCES WHICH LED TO THE INCEPTION OF NEW YORK CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE ALCOHOLISM TREATMENT CENTERS ARE REVIEWED. A SAMPLE OF 375 MEN AND WOMEN PATIENTS IS THEN STUDIED TO EVALUATE TREATMENT.
Abstract
THE CENTERS WERE SET UP TO COMBINE A NUMBER OF UNRELATED ALCOHOLISM PROGRAMS INTO A COMPREHENSIVE TREATMENT PLAN. EACH TREATMENT CENTER IS SET UP IN CONJUNCTION WITH A HOSPITAL, WHICH PROVIDES INPATIENT DETOXIFICATION SERVICES. AN OUTPATIENT CLINIC AND A HALFWAY HOUSE COMPLETE THE CONTINUUM OF SERVICES. THIS STUDY EXAMINES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INPATIENT VERSUS OUTPATIENT CARE AT THE BEGINNING OF TREATMENT. THE 182 INPATIENTS GENERALLY HAD MORE SEVERE DRINKING PATTERNS AND GREATER SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION. THE 193 OUTPATIENTS HAD MORE CHRONIC DAILY DRINKERS, MORE WHO HAD BEEN DRINKING FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, AND WERE MORE SOCIALLY ORGANIZED. THE TYPICAL PATIENT WAS GENERALLY MALE, AGED 38 OR 39 YEARS, AND HAD BEEN DRINKING HEAVILY FOR 3 TO 5 YEARS. HE WAS EQUALLY LIKELY TO BE WHITE, BLACK, OR HISPANIC. ALCOHOLISM WAS HIS ONLY PROBLEM DRUG; 74.7 PERCENT OF INPATIENTS AND 84.4 PERCENT OF OUTPATIENTS WERE FREE FROM OTHER DRUG INVOLVEMENT. MORE THAN HALF WERE NOT MOTIVATED BY THE FOURTH MONTH; ONLY 44 PERCENT FROM EACH GROUP WERE KEEPING APPOINTMENTS BY THEN. SOBRIETY DATA WAS INCOMPLETE BUT ABOUT 40 PERCENT WERE SOBER AT THE END OF 3 MONTHS. THIS DID NOT VARY BY TREATMENT GROUP. AS HYPOTHESIZED, THOSE WHO WERE MOTIVATED AND SOBER AFTER 4 MONTHS CONTINUED WITH THE PROGRAM AND WERE STILL KEEPING APPOINTMENTS AND MAINTAINING SOBRIETY AT THE END OF 1 YEAR. THE TWO TREATMENTS WERE EQUALLY EFFECTIVE BUT A SOCIAL STABILITY FACTOR ENTERED INTO THIS EFFECTIVENESS. INPATIENT CARE WAS MORE EFFECTIVE FOR SOCIALLY IMPAIRED PATIENTS, OUTPATIENT CARE FOR SOCIALLY INTACT PERSONS. THE TWO APPROACHES ARE CALLED COMPLEMENTARY. STUDY DATA ARE INCLUDED IN CHARTS AND TABLES. REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (GLR)