INPATIENT TREATMENT OF EMPLOYED ALCOHOLICS - A RANDOMIZED CLINICAL-TRIAL ON HAZELDEN-TYPE AND TRADITIONAL TREATMENT

The first randomized clinical trial on the Hazelden‐type of treatment showed that this AA‐oriented treatment for alcoholism can result in significant improvement in drinking behavior as compared to a more traditional form of treatment. One hundred forty‐one employed alcoholics were randomized to either Hazelden‐type treatment (N= 74) or to traditional‐type treatment (N= 67). The treatment groups were highly comparable. The bimonthly follow‐up lasted one year. According to the COPES‐questionnaire (short form), the treatment at the Hazelden‐type institute was significantly more involving, supportive, encouraging to spontaneity and oriented to personal problems than at the traditional‐type institute. In accordance the treatment drop‐out rate was 7.9% at Hazelden‐type institute and 25.9% at traditional‐type institute (p < 0.02). The participation in outpatient treatment was significantly better after the Hazelden‐type treatment. The proportion of those abstinent (admitted ethanol consumption, O g/day; gammaglutamyl transferase, and mean cell volume were normal) was higher at Hazelden‐type institute during the last (8–12 months) follow‐up period (26.3% vs. 9.8%, p= 0.05). Fourteen percent of the Hazeldon‐type institute patients and 1.9% of the traditional‐type institute patients stayed abstinent during the whole 1‐year follow‐up period (p < 0.05). The differences for the corresponding rates for controlled drinking (admitted ethanol consumption less than 40 g/day, GGT, and MCV normal) were in the same direction but did not reach statistical significance. Thus the Hazelden‐type treatment obtained better results in 1‐year abstinence rate than a more traditional‐type treatment. Copyright © 1990, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved