THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MORTALITY AND INTENSITY OF INPATIENT ALCOHOLISM-TREATMENT

Objectives. Previous studies have examined mortality in alcoholics rec eiving extended inpatient alcoholism treatment, but few have investiga ted less intense treatment. This study examined mortality within 3 yea rs after discharge from varying intensities of inpatient alcoholism tr eatment. Methods. Using the computerized database of the Department of Veterans Affairs, we identified men participating in varying intensit ies of inpatient alcoholism treatment and followed them for 3 years af ter discharge. Adjusted mortality rates were computed and survival ana lysis was performed to assess the risk of death, adjusting for factors that may be related to mortality. Results. The death rate was lower f or men who completed extended formal inpatient treatment than for thos e who began, but did not complete, inpatient treatment or those who un derwent short detoxification. Differences among the treatment groups r emained after age, race, marital status, and disease severity were con trolled. Conclusions. These results suggest that extended formal inpat ient alcoholism treatment is associated with a lower risk of death tha n less intense forms of inpatient treatment.