Prospective study of alcoholism treatment in Kuwait: a 5-year follow-up report.
The outcome of a 5-year prospective follow-up study of 100 patients treated in the Kuwait Hospital for alcohol-related problems is reported using two parameters computed from weighted follow-up variables, i.e., Offset Score measuring patients' initial follow-up status and Direction of Slope summarizing consequent follow-up scores. Nineteen patients had died representing 14 times the age-corrected national rate. Univariate and multivariate analyses of outcome measures against prefollow-up patients' characteristics revealed that variables indicating heavy alcohol use independent of each other predicted negative outcome and mortality. The tendency of the group score distribution towards normalization uninfluenced by treatment is demonstrated. The pertinence of these findings to the medical profession in Kuwait is stressed.
Bilal
A M
AM
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University.
Al-Ansari
E A
EA
Kristof
J
J
Shaltout
A
A
el-Islam
M F
MF
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000401:mortality / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003906:Developing Countries; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007730:Kuwait; D011446:Prospective Studies