title: People with alcohol use disorders in specialized care in eight different European countries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide a description of patients receiving alcohol treatment in eight different European countries, including the level of comorbidities and functional limitations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Drinking behaviours, DSM-IV alcohol use disorder (AUD), mental and somatic comorbidities, disability and health services utilization of 1767 patients from various specialized treatment settings were assessed as representative for regions of eight European countries. Severity of alcohol dependence (AD) in terms of drinking level was compared with a large representative US sample.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients in specialized care for AUDs showed high levels of consumption [average level of daily ethanol intake: 141.1 g, standard deviation (SD): 116.0 g], comorbidity [e.g. liver problems: 19.6%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 17.5-21.6%; depression: 43.2%, 95% CI: 40.7-45.8%; anxiety: 50.3%, 95% CI: 47.8-52.9%], disability and health services utilization (average number of nights spent in hospital(s) during the last 6 months: 8.8, SD: 19.5 nights). Severity of AD was similar to the US sample, but European men consumed on average more alcohol daily.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High levels of consumption, somatic and mental comorbidities, disability and functional losses were found in this representative treatment sample, indicating that treatment was initiated only at severe stages of AUDs. Earlier initiation of treatment could help avoid some of the health and social burden.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada Addiction Policy, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, 6th Floor, Toronto, ON M5T 3M7, Canada Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building, 1 King's College Circle, Room 2374, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 250 College Street, 8th Floor, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy & Center of Clinical Epidemiology and Longitudinal Studies (CELOS), Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Str. 46, 01187 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rehm
authors.affiliation: Agenzia Regionale di Sanità Toscana, Villa la Quiete Alle Montalve, Via Pietro Dazzi 1, 50141 Firenze, Italy.
authors.forename: Allaman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Allamani
authors.affiliation: Centre D'Enseignement, de Recherche et de Traitement des Addictions, Hôpital Paul Brousse, AP-HP, Univ Paris-Sud, INSERM U669, 94804 Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: Henri-Jean
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Aubin
authors.affiliation: Regional Centre for the Training in Primary Care (Ceformed), Via Galvani 1, 34074 Monfalcone, GO, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Della Vedova
authors.affiliation: Corvinus University of Budapest, Közraktár u. 4-6, H-1093 Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Zsuzsanna
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Elekes
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland Department of Applied Psychology, Döpfer University of Applied Sciences, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Frick
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowowiejska 27, 00-665 Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jakubczyk
authors.affiliation: Centre D'Enseignement, de Recherche et de Traitement des Addictions, Hôpital Paul Brousse, AP-HP, Univ Paris-Sud, INSERM U669, 94804 Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: Nikoleta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kostogianni
authors.affiliation: Riga Centre of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, Tvaika Iela 2, Riga, Latvia.
authors.forename: Inga
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Landsmane
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy & Center of Clinical Epidemiology and Longitudinal Studies (CELOS), Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Str. 46, 01187 Dresden, Germany jakobmanthey@snappyquest.org.
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Manthey
authors.affiliation: Addictions Unit, Psychiatry Department, Neurosciences Institute, Hospital Clinic, Carrer Villarroel 170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain (Catalonia) Institut D'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Carrer Rosselló 149, 08036, Barcelona, Spain (Catalonia) Red de Trastornos Adictivos (RTA - RETICS), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Calle Sinesio Delgado, 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain (Catalonia).
authors.forename: Laia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Miquel
authors.affiliation: Department of Addiction, CHU de Nancy, rue du Morvan, 54500 Vandoeuvre, France.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Paille
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy & Center of Clinical Epidemiology and Longitudinal Studies (CELOS), Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Str. 46, 01187 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pieper
authors.affiliation: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy & Center of Clinical Epidemiology and Longitudinal Studies (CELOS), Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Str. 46, 01187 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Probst
authors.affiliation: Regional Centre for the Training in Primary Care (Ceformed), Via Galvani 1, 34074 Monfalcone, GO, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scafuri
authors.affiliation: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building, 1 King's College Circle, Room 2374, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
authors.forename: Kevin D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Shield
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sociological Research, Dzirnavu Iela 55 k2-2, Riga, Latvia.
authors.forename: Sigita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Snikere
authors.affiliation: Regional Centre for the Training in Primary Care (Ceformed), Via Galvani 1, 34074 Monfalcone, GO, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Struzzo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sociological Research, Dzirnavu Iela 55 k2-2, Riga, Latvia Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, University of Latvia, Akademijas Laukums 1, Riga, Latvia.
authors.forename: Marcis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trapencieris
authors.affiliation: Agenzia Regionale di Sanità Toscana, Villa la Quiete Alle Montalve, Via Pietro Dazzi 1, 50141 Firenze, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Voller
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy & Center of Clinical Epidemiology and Longitudinal Studies (CELOS), Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Str. 46, 01187 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans-Ulrich
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Wittchen
authors.affiliation: Addictions Unit, Psychiatry Department, Neurosciences Institute, Hospital Clinic, Carrer Villarroel 170, 08036, Barcelona, Spain (Catalonia) Institut D'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Carrer Rosselló 149, 08036, Barcelona, Spain (Catalonia) Red de Trastornos Adictivos (RTA - RETICS), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Calle Sinesio Delgado, 4, 28029 Madrid, Spain (Catalonia).
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gual
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw, Nowowiejska 27, 00-665 Warsaw, Poland Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, 4250 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wojnar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D063425:Binge Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007844:Latvia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult