Prospective study of alcoholism treatment. Eight-year follow-up

One hundred patients admitted for alcohol withdrawal were followed for eight years. At the eight year mark, 25 percent had achieved stable abstinence of three years' duration or more, and 29 percent had died. Only 26 percent experienced continued serious problems with alcohol. Premorbid social stability and sustained abstinence made independent contributions to good psychosocial outcome at eight years. Premorbid social stability and Alcoholics Anonymous attendance made independent contributions to sustained abstinence. Review of these data and other major longitudinal studies suggests that factors other than professionally organized treatment per se exert substantial effect upon long-term outcome.