Six-month treatment outcomes in socially stable alcoholics: abstinence rates

A randomly selected sample of 181 socially stable patients were followed for a period of six months after leaving alcoholism treatment. Collateral verification of drinking status was used to validate patient self-reports. A follow-up rate of 94% was achieved. For all patients, a continuous abstention rate (no drinking at all for the entire six-month period) of 61% was achieved, while 72% of the located patients were currently abstinent at the time of followup. For alcoholics with no other drug problems, a 66% continuous abstention rate was achieved, and 77% were currently abstinent at followup. These results suggest that alcoholism treatment can be effective for samples of socially stable alcoholics treated with multimodal treatments in a specialized, freestanding, alcoholism treatment facility.