Proportion of subjects remaining abstinent following alcohol de-addiction treatment and factors associated with abstinence - A 3 months prospective cohort study

Abstract

Aims: The aim is to study prevalence of abstinence rates for 3 months follow-up in individuals of alcohol dependence undergoing de-addiction treatment. Also to assess for possible co-relation between sociodemographic, clinical, personality, cognitive functioning and laboratory variables of relapsed and abstinent individuals. Subjects and Methods: Eighty-six individuals who were admitted for alcohol deaddiction treatment were taken for the study after taking consent. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were assessed using a pro forma. The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview was administered to rule out other disorders. Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol, revised scale to assess the severity of withdrawal. Personality was assessed using 16PF. The Tower of London (ToL) test was used to assess executive function. Individuals were followed up after discharge till 3 months from the admission date to assess for the maintenance of abstinence. Results: Out of 86 individuals, only 24 individuals maintained abstinence at 3 months. About 72.08% of those who had previous deaddiction treatment did not maintain abstinence or were lost to follow-up. Duration of hospitalization was significantly more in abstinent individuals (15.63 ± 6.31, P = 0.001). On 16PF individuals who did not maintain abstinence had higher perfectionism scores (5.97 ± 1.9, P = 0.027) similarly on the ToL test they had lower scores on the total number of problems solved on the minimum number of moves (7.02 ± 1.76, P = 0.001). Conclusion: There is the low rate of abstinence among individuals having undergone deaddiction treatment at the end of 3 months. Modifying treatment for individuals who have past relapses, personality disturbances, and avoiding early discharge may help in increasing the abstinence rate.