title: Treatment outcome and its predictors among Asian problem drinkers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evidence of treatment effectiveness for alcohol use disorders (AUD) have emerged predominantly from Western studies, using highly controlled trials that may not reflect real-world settings. This paper examines treatment outcome and its predictors among Asian problem drinkers participating in a treatment outcome monitoring program at an addiction treatment centre in Singapore.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected at intake and 3, 6 and 12 months, although the focus of this paper is on reliable change at 3 months among the 70% who were followed up. Five hundred and forty-one AUD-diagnosed outpatients presenting for treatment, over a 2-year period, were assessed on drinking behaviours and administered the Addiction Severity Index-Lite, Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) and Treatment Perceptions Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 3 months, drinking days, alcohol units and alcohol use severity had more than halved and 69% were either abstinent or had reliably reduced their drinking days. Baseline drinking days and treatment satisfaction predicted 3-month drinking frequency but not severity. Positive alcohol outcomes observed at 3 months were sustained among those followed up until 12 months. Mean PWI score improved significantly and fell within the 'normal' range. Treatment satisfaction also emerged as the only significant predictor of reliable positive change in both drinking days and PWI score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant reductions in drinking frequency and severity are possible for Asian problem drinkers after 12 weeks of outpatient treatment. The identified predictors suggest that more frequent drinkers and patients with past/current psychiatric comorbidities may require a more intensive treatment approach to optimise treatment outcomes.
authors.affiliation: National Addictions Management Service, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore. victoria_manning@imh.com.sg
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Manning
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.forename: Puay Kee
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Gomathinayagam
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kandasami
authors.forename: Kim Eng
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy*; D044466:Asian People / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012846:Singapore / Q000208:ethnology; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome