[Alcohol abusers 12 years after hospitalization]

The general objectives of this study were to describe the alcohol consumption and the long term effect on social development in a group of heavy alcohol abusers. All the patients were discharged from a special psychiatric department for the treatment of alcohol abuse in 1975. In 1987-1988 they were interviewed and subjected to the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test (MAST). On basis of the MAST-test the patients could be classified as belonging either to the Alcohol-Problem-Free (APF) or the Alcohol-Problem (AP) group. The two groups were compared with regard to conditions during adolescence, social status and alcohol consumption. Of the 206 patients 63 had died by 1987 and 113 were interviewed. The APF-group totaled 19.7% of the cohort. The APF group had had better conditions during adolescence and the main factors for stopping the alcohol abuse were a new marriage, their own will power or religious revival. The AP-group had a considerably reduced alcohol consumption since 1975, mainly because of failing health. Forty-two point five percent of all patients found that detoxification during hospitalization was a great help to them. In conclusion it is found that reasons why 19.7% of the patients stopped their alcohol abuse cannot readily be applied to new therapeutic strategies.