[Acute psychiatric hospitalization due to alcoholism, 1978-1988]

We examined the records of 81 alcoholic patients hospitalized a total of 260 times (3.2 per patient) during 1978-1988. Hospitalizations were of the acute type, and not for weaning purposes. Only 1 of the patients was born in Israel. The prevalence of hospitalizations involving alcoholism among immigrants from the former Soviet Union, North Africa, and South America was similar, 0.07%. However, in immigrants from India and Pakistan it was 0.4%. 10% of hospitalizations were ordered by court or district psychiatrists. There were 69 men and 12 women (M/F ratio 5.8). In 1171 of the hospitalizations, one-third were later found not to be of alcohol-related. We therefor emphasize the need for better clinical diagnosis. The relationship between age on immigration and age on first psychiatric hospitalization for alcoholic psychosis indicated a group of "imported" alcoholics. In light of the continuing immigration from countries with a high incidence of alcoholism to Israel, an appropriate system should be set up to prevent and to treat alcoholism.