Predictors of engagement in the Alcoholics Anonymous group or to psychotherapy among Brazilian alcoholics : a six-month follow-up study.
OBJECTIVE
To ascertain factors associated with engagement of patients with alcohol dependence in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) groups and psychotherapy.


METHODS
About 300 hospitalized alcoholics were interviewed at hospitalization and again 3 and 6 months thereafter. Assessment included the administration of standardized instruments. Determinants of engagement in both interventions were assessed through logistic regression analysis.


RESULTS
Higher educational level was predictive of engagement in AA after 6 months (OR = 2.19; CI 1.08-4.41). Engagement in psychotherapy after 6 months was related to having a university degree (OR = 3.60; CI 1.6-7.9), to a co-morbid depressive disorder (OR = 3.47; CI 1.8-6.5), to the use of other drugs together with alcohol (OR = 3.08; CI 1.5-6.19), to previous treatment (OR = 2.87; CI 1.29-6.40), and to having a high school degree (OR = 2.44; CI 1.24-4.80). The presence of substance-induced anxiety disorder was associated with non-engagement in psychotherapy (OR = 0.27; CI 0.63-0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
The identification of predictors of engagement is important to guide clinicians in the choice of the treatment strategies that are more likely to be successful.
Terra
Mauro Barbosa
MB
Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Fundação Faculdade Federal de Ciências Médicas de Porto Alegre, R. Sarmento Leite, 245 Centro, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90050-170, Brazil. mabarte@portoweb.com.br
Barros
Helena Maria Tannhauser
HM
Stein
Airton Tetelbom
AT
Figueira
Ivan
I
Athayde
Luciana Dias
LD
Palermo
Luiz Henrique
LH
Tergolina
Letícia Piccoli
LP
Rovani
Joana Stela
JS
da Silveira
Dartiu Xavier
DX
D000328:Adult; D000436:Alcoholics Anonymous; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011379:Prognosis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors