THE GROWTH OF TREATMENT RESEARCH IN ALCOHOL AND DRUG-USE DISORDERS - A COMPUTERIZED LITERATURE SEARCH

Index Medicus was searched to compare the number of articles on treatment trials for alcohol and for non-alcohol drug use disorders (abuse, dependence, withdrawal, intoxication, etc.) to that of two control conditions - anxiety and obesity - for the period 1967-1988. Over the entire 22 years, the number of articles for alcohol use disorders increased an average of 2.7 articles every 2 years and 5.8/2 years for drug use disorders compared to 5.7/2 years for obesity and 5.8/2 years for anxiety disorders. Over the most recent 8 years, articles for alcohol use disorders increased 7.7/2 years and for drug use disorders 7.9/2 years compared to -2.9/2 years and 12.0/2 years for obesity and anxiety disorders. The proportion of articles that cited using only pharmacotherapy decreased over time; however, studies of alcohol and drug withdrawal continue to almost exclusively use pharmacological therapies. We conclude that treatment research in alcohol and drug use disorders is growing as rapidly as that in similar psychological and psychiatric conditions and that such growth is not due to a focus on pharmacological treatments. © 1990.