Profile of Patients with Alcohol Dependence admitted to a Drug De-addiction Center in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Objective To examine the profile of patients admitted to a drug de-addiction center of a tertiary care center or hospital with alcohol dependence. Material and Methods The study was held in the Department of Psychiatry, Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh, Assam during the period from August 2020 to September 2021. 120 patients who fulfilled the criteria for alcohol dependence according to ICD-10 were included. Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) and Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST) were applied. Results Around 13.3% of the study participants started drinking alcohol at the age of 15 years. The average age at which the patients initiated drinking alcohol was 24.02 ± 7.19 years, and patients who had started drinking at an early age became dependent within 15 years of regular drinking. The most common cause of initiation of drinking was found to be curiosity, peer pressure, and familial disharmony (68.8%). Most of the patients (80%) were from the lower socio-economic class, educated till middle school, and majority (80.9%) of the participants had an AUDIT score of >20 indicating alcohol dependence. Conclusion Alcohol use is seen to begin at a young age (about 15 years), primarily in individuals with less education and in rural communities of this region of the state. Hence, public awareness campaigns and school-based educational initiatives should be undertaken.