Replacing the last week of a motivational inpatient alcohol withdrawal programme by a day-clinic setting.
The impact on the motivation to treatment of a qualified alcohol withdrawal programme was evaluated in a pre/post setting. Over a period of 2 years we compared the results of replacing the last week of an inpatient setting by day-clinic treatment. In the first year, 202 patients were treated in a 3-week inpatient setting, whereas in the second year, 149 patients out of 212 (70.3%) changed into day-care for the third week. The total treatment period was nearly equal in both years (16.2-17.4 days) and the average costs of detoxication were reduced by 8%. The amount of irregular discharges (21.7 vs. 23.6%) was almost unchanged. As a severe disadvantage the overall rate of patients who agreed to enter a succeeding stringent long-term treatment regressed significantly from 45.0 to 34.4% (p < 0.05).
Reymann
G
G
Westphalian Hospital for Psychiatry, Psychosomatics Psychotherapy and Department for Addiction, Marsbruchstrasse 179, D-44273 Dortmund, Germany. reymann-bochum@t-online.de
Danziger
H J
HJ
D000328:Adult; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome