TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1997//
TI  - Mortality of treated alcoholics after eight years in relation to short-term outcome
JO  - Alcohol and alcoholism
A1  - Gerdner, A.
A1  - Berglund, M.
SP  - 573
EP  - 579
VL  - 32
IS  - 5
N2  - This study concerns the relation between mortality and the short-term outcome of inpatient treatment for alcoholism. A total of 121 patients (87 men, 34 women) were included, of whom 89 were voluntary and 32 compulsorily committed. They had a mean age of 41 +/- 7 (SD) years and attended a 5-week programme at Runnagården, Orebro, Sweden. Most patients were socially unstable and severely alcohol-dependent. Ten months (mean) after discharge, 96% of the patients and their referring social workers were contacted with mail questionnaires. Of these patients, 13% had been totally abstinent and a further 42% improved but had had relapses. After a mean of 8.5 +/- 0.27 years, 27 patients (24%) had died. All abstainers survived, but non-abstainers had nine-fold higher mortality than expected. Non-abstinent improved women tended to survive longer than non-improved women, but among non-abstinent improved men no such tendency was found. In conclusion, a reduction in the frequency and quantity of abusive drinking was not enough to reduce the higher risk of death. Only abstinence seemed to be preventive.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0735-0414
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -