Prevalence and treatment of alcoholism in a department of internal medicine

Abstract

Bergman B, Mansson M. Prevalence and treatment of alcoholism in a department of internal medicine.The resident physicians in two internal medicine wards at the Huddinge Hospital, Sweden, were asked to identify, during a period of four months, patients admitted for what they considered to be alcohol-induced somatic diseases. The aim of the procedure was to assess the prevalence of this patient category and to study the possibility of offering treatment for alcoholism. Fifty-four patients were identified. They constituted 7.5% of all patients but accounted for 22% of the total number of treatment days. The total medical care consumption of the alcoholic patients was very high compared to that of a control group. Eight of the patients started treatment for alcoholism. Patients with an inconspicuous history of somatic medical care seem to be most suitable to suggest for treatment for alcoholism, regardless of whether they have had contact with a psychiatric or alcoholism treatment unit or not.Alcoholism, Coun...