Prediction of drinking outcomes for male alcoholics after 10 to 14 years.
This study reports on the long-term outcomes of 360 men who were hospitalized for alcoholism during 1980 to 1984 and followed at 12 months and again 10 to 14 years later. At the 10/14-year follow-up, 96 (26.7%) men were confirmed as deceased; 255 (70.8%) men participated in the assessment/interview battery completed during baseline hospitalization. The battery consisted of psychosocial, alcohol-related, and psychiatric measures. Two distinct but highly correlated outcome measures were selected: a clinical rating scale and a factor score. Overall, predictors from baseline and 12-month follow-up included age at intake hospitalization, alcoholism severity, social stability, drinking days, and antisocial personality disorder. Approximately 37% of the assessed survivors were either totally abstinent or drinking nonabusively throughout the 10/14-year follow-up, whereas another 37% continued to drink abusively. Men who abstained or reduced alcohol intake reported better physical health at follow-up than those who continued to drink. Although our findings did not directly link alcoholism to death, they strongly indicate that chronic alcohol abuse may lead to premature death.
Powell
B J
BJ
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Kansas City, Missouri 64128, USA.
Landon
J F
JF
Cantrell
P J
PJ
Penick
E C
EC
Nickel
E J
EJ
Liskow
B I
BI
Coddington
T M
TM
Campbell
J L
JL
Dale
T M
TM
Vance
M D
MD
Rice
A S
AS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002423:Cause of Death; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013695:Temperance; D016896:Treatment Outcome