A DISCRETE CHOICE MODEL OF ALCOHOLISM-TREATMENT LOCATION

In this study, a discrete choice model of alcoholism treatment location, with special emphasis on the roles of comorbidities is considered. Three specific questions are addressed: 1) what demographic and health factors have significant impacts on treatment location for both short- and long-term alcoholism and nonalcoholism treatments?; 2) how does the impact of alcohol dependence differ from the impact of alcohol abuse, on probabilities of short-term or long-term inpatient treatment?; and 3) what are the impacts of health comorbidities on probabilities of inpatient treatment in the short or long term? A binomial logit model is estimated for short- and long-term alcoholism treatment, as well as for short- and long-term nonalcoholism treatment (which occurs at the same time). The results indicate the importance of comorbidities in predicting treatment location. They also indicate a trend during the 1980s toward increased use of outpatient rather than inpatient treatment.