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Murine Drinking Models in the Development of Pharmacotherapies for Alcoholism: Drinking in the Dark and Two-bottle Choice
Published on: January 7, 2019
Treatment outcomes for alcohol dependence among middle-aged and older adults
David W Oslin1, Valerie J Slaymaker, Frederic C Blow
1Section of Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States. oslin@mail.med.upenn.edu
Aims:
The purpose of this study was to examine differences in the clinical presentation and treatment outcomes of older adults with a diagnosis of alcohol dependence compared to middle-aged adults.
Design:
The study is a prospective naturalistic study. Participants included 1358 patients admitted to a residential rehabilitation program for alcohol dependence.
Results:
Older adults entering an alcohol rehabilitation program are less impaired on a number measures of psychiatric distress and addiction severity but more impaired in somatic health. While there were no significantly different outcomes in abstinence rates at 1 month, older adults engaged in formal post-discharge aftercare less than middle-aged adults.
Conclusions:
These results confirm impressions that older adults seeking alcohol treatment may have a lower severity of alcohol dependence compared to those at younger ages. However, results suggest that traditional outpatient substance abuse care is not accepted at the same rates as middle-aged adults. The low rates of engagement suggest the need for age appropriate treatment options and are potentially of concern if treatment is necessary to maintain short-term success.
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