Humanitarian and financial costs in alcoholics: a preliminary study of 15 cases

A small sample of hospitalised alcoholics had life-time dollar costs and humanitarian costs estimated. Costs per drinking year were heaviest in the 19-29 year old age group, particularly in relationship to health care and sickness benefit received. Social and humanitarian costs are more similar across the age groups. It is concluded that admission occurs when these costs reach a critical level, and is not solely a function of recent drinking levels. It is suggested that the relative costliness of young people admitted for alcoholism represents a new accelerated subsyndrome of alcoholism, presumably a product of the wealthy, liberal culture of the 1960s and 1970s. The costs of health care of the sample are apparently not covered by excise and sales taxes.