Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T21:43:12.675Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Community psychiatric nurse aftercare for alcoholics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Diana G Patterson ,
Maureen W McCourt  and
Joyce R A Shiels
Diana G Patterson
Affiliation:
Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital, 1 Donaghanie Road, Omagh, Co. Tyrone BT79 ONS
Joyce R A Shiels
Affiliation:
Alcohol Treatment Unit, Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital, Omagh, Co. Tyrone
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

One hundred and twenty-seven white male alcoholics, treated in a rural setting, were assigned to one of two groups. Seventy-three subjects received intensive aftercare by Community Psychiatric nurse and fifty-four control subjects received standard aftercare with outpatient appointments. Subjects were assessed one year after treatment. Fifty-four per cent of those given Community Psychiatric Nurse follow-up were completely abstinent compared with twenty per cent of those in the control group. Those receiving Community Psychiatric Nurse follow-up were less likely to have blackouts, hospital admissions or marital discord in the year following treatment. They were more likely to attend hospital meetings regularly. This form of aftercare is an effective way of maximising the benefits of expensive inpatient treatment.

Keywords

AlcoholCommunity Psychiatric NurseAbstinenceAftercare.
Type
Original Papers
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 8 , Issue 1 , March 1991 , pp. 4 - 14
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Costello, RM. Alcoholism treatment and evaluation: in search of methods. The International Journal of the Addictions 1975; 10: 251–275.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2.Costello, RM. Alcoholism treatment and evaluation: slicing the outcome variance pie. In: Edwards, G, Grant, M, eds. Alcoholism treatment in transition. London: Croom Helm, 1980.Google Scholar
3.McLatchie, BH, Lomp, KGE. An experimental investigation of the influence of aftercare on alcoholic relapse. Br J Addict 1988; 83: 1045–1054.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.McGrady, BS, Noel, NE, Abrams, DB, Stout, RL, Nelson, HF, May, WM. Comparative effectiveness of three types of spouse involvement in outpatient behavioural alcoholism treatment. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 1986; 47: 459–467.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5.Maisto, SA, O'Farrell, TJ, Connors, GJ, McKay, JR, Pelcovitis, M. Alcoholics attributions of factors affecting their relapse to drinking and reasons for termination relapse episodes. Addictive Behaviours 1988; 13: 79–82.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Harbinson, JJM, Haire, T. Drinking practices in Northern Ireland. A survey carried out on behalf of DHSS (NI). Belfast: Dept. of Health Social Services, 1982.Google Scholar
7.Raistrick, D, Dunbar, G, Davidson, R. Development of a questionnaire to measure alcohol dependance. Br J Addict 1983; 78: 89–95.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.Davidson, R, Raistrick, D. The validity of the Short Alcohol Dependence Data (SADD) Questionnaire: a short self-report questionnaire for the assessment of alcohol dependence. Br J Addict 1986; 81: 217–222.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9.Polich, JM, Armor, DJ, Braiker, HB. The course of alcoholism: four years after treatment. Santa Monica, California: Rand Corporation, 1979.Google Scholar
10.Emrick, DD. A review of psychologically orientated treatment of alcoholism. 1. Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol 1974; 35A: 523–549.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11.Gottheil, E, Thornton, C, Skoloda, TE, Alterman, AI. Follow-up of abstinent and non-abstinent alcoholics. Am J Psychiatry 1982; 139: 560–565.Google Scholar
12.Hunt, WA, General, WR. Relapse rates after treatment for alcoholism. Journal of Community Psychology 1973; 1: 66–68.3.0.CO;2-R>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13.Walker, ND, Lightfoot, CGL. An analysis of 1000 admissions to an alcohol treatment unit. New Zealand Journal 1980; 92: 323–325.Google Scholar
14.Chick, J. Do alcoholics recover? Br Med J 1982; 285: 3–4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15.Edwards, G, Duckitt, A, Oppenheimer, E, Sheehan, M, Taylor, C. What happens to alcoholics? Lancet 1983; 2: 269–271.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16.Edwards, G, Brown, D, Oppenheimer, MS, Taylor, C, Duckitt, A. Long term outcome for patients with drinking problems: The search for predictors. Br J Addict 1988; 83: 917–927.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17.Davidson, R, Bunting, B, Raistrick, D. The homogeneity of the alcohol dependence syndrome: a factorial analysis of the SADD questionnaire. Br J Addict 1989; 84: 907–915.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18.Moos, RH, Finney, JW. Alcoholism programme evaluations: the treatment domain. Drugs and Society 1987; 2: 31–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19.Crawford, JJ, Chalupsky, AB. The reported evaluation of alcoholism treatments, 1968-1971: a methodological review. Addictive Behaviours 1977; 2: 63–74.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.Voris, SW. Alcohol treatment outcome evaluation: an overview of methodological issues. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse 1981–1982; 8(4): 549–558.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21.Singer, M. Evaluating alcoholism treatment programmes: considerations and caveats. International Journal of the Addictions 1983; 18: 1145–1155.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
22.Mackensie, A, Funderburk, FR, Allen, RP, Stefan, RC. The characteristics of alcoholics frequently lost to follow-up. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 1987; 48: 119–123.CrossRefGoogle Scholar