Alcohol use in methadone maintenance clinics

A study was undertaken to determine the frequency of alcohol use and the amount consumed by methadone maintenance patients. In four clinics of the Beth Israel Medical Center Methadone Maintenance Treatment Program, every fifth patient from an alphabetical clinic list was selected for interview. Among the 101 patients who were interviewed, mean alcohol consumption was 1.2 ounces per day. Among those who drank, there was a continuum in terms of amount consumed. Forty-three percent had totally abstained from alcohol during the prior 3 months, and an additional 30% drank one or less ounces per day. Independently obtained staff rankings generally approximated interview results, and thus supported the reliability of the interview. Since staff rankings for participants and nonparticipants in the interview were similar, it appears that those who participated were typical of the group selected for study.