Long term outcome in working and homemaking alcoholic women

Retrospective and outcome data were examined for 48 homemaking and 24 working women who came for treatment for alcoholism to an Addiction Recovery Unit at an inpatient psychiatric hospital. Outcome was assessed at the end of each of 4 years following treatment via personal interview by an experienced social worker and was corroborated by at least one source. At admission, the homemakers had been drinking for significantly more years (p less than 0.05) than working women. Occupation at admission did not directly relate to outcome. However, for a small subgroup comprised of both homemaking and working women, a change in occupation following treatment was associated with improvement.