[Predictors of success of long-term treatment in alcohol dependency].
OBJECTIVE
There is a lack of positive predictors for long-term treatment of subjects with alcohol addiction. We analyzed the relation between motivation and other external variables of access to treatment as well as treatment outcome.


METHODS
434 persons with alcohol addiction, treated in 2004 in the Diakonie-Krankenhaus Harz (DHK), Elbingerode, as part of a long-term therapy, were followed-up one year after treatment. Access variables were defined and examined in relation to outcome variables with multiple linear and logistic regressions.


RESULTS
Ways of accessing treatment had no effect on later treatment outcome, while motiva­tion at the start of therapy was relevant: Patients with ambivalent motivation had the most negative outcome.


CONCLUSIONS
Therapy motivation was the main predictor for the outcome of a long-term anti-addiction treatment. To improve the quality of the treatment system, interventions to strengthen motivation should be promoted.
Rehabilitationsklinik für Suchterkrankungen, Diakonie-Krankenhaus Harz, Elbingerode.
E
E
Grau
Rehabilitationsklinik für Suchterkrankungen, Diakonie-Krankenhaus Harz, Elbingerode.
D
D
Kemmann
Bezirkskrankenhaus Kempten, Akademisches Lehrkrankenhaus der Universität Ulm.
P
P
Brieger
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000379:methods; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome