A prospective longitudinal study of abusers of alcohol granted disability pension

The present study was carried out to obtain a better conception of the consequences of disability pension for abusers of alcohol. A total of 78 abusers applied for disability pension during 1 1/2 years in one specific region of the Swedish county of Ostergötland. Fifty-six of 61 individuals who could be contacted and who were examined immediately before they were pensioned, could also be re-examined after 2 years. Two minor matched reference groups, newly pensioned non-abusers and abusers undergoing rehabilitation, were also examined in almost an identical way with a 2-year interval. In contrast to common expectations, the pensioned abusers demonstrated positive changes in their reported abuse, psychiatric status, self-rated well-being, nutritional status and mental test performance, as regards perceptual analysis and figurative memory. Their social and structural situation as well as their daily activities were fairly constant. The results are discussed particularly with regard to the selection of examination occasions, the international evaluational research on treatment for alcoholics and the course of alcoholism. It is advocated that the results should be interpreted with caution and not taken as indications for granting pensions to an even greater extent. However, it can be concluded that the examined pensioned abusers showed improvement rather than impairment. This is the fifth report in a series from the research project "Abuse of alcohol - Disability pension - Quality of life".