title: On the applicability of statements on drinking and dietary habits for the calculation of risks or organ damage in chronic alcoholics.
abstract: Data from 12 alcoholics admitted to a detoxication ward on two separate occasions revealed great differences in statements on drinking and dietary habits between the two interrogations. The findings clearly demonstrate that such statements do not give reliable informations on drinking and dietary habits during prolonged periods. Furthermore, data from 61 patients show that a classification into chronic and intermitent drinkers only to some extent improves the possibilities to calculate the alcohol consumption over prolonged periods, since because of e.g. frequent or prolonged hospitalizations many chronic drinkers may be intoxicated during fewer days of the year than intermittent drinkers.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006184:Habits; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012306:Risk; D012649:Self Concept