INFLUENCE OF TEMPERANCE ON SHORT-TERM MORTALITY AMONG ALCOHOL-DEPENDENT MEN IN SRI-LANKA

The influence of temperance on short-term mortality was assessed in a group of alcohol-dependent men admitted to a rehabilitation unit in Sr i Lanka. Of the 234 men initially admitted to the programme, 188 were followed up for at least 3 years (mean +/- SD 49.5 +/- 12.6 months) or until death. All 188 were totally abstinent from alcohol on leaving t he 6 week residential module of the programme. During follow-up, 115 r elapsed to continued heavy drinking, whereas 73 remained either totall y abstinent or drank infrequently. There were no significant differenc es in the age, duration of dependence, number of previous intervention s, duration of follow-up or smoking habits between the two groups of p atients. The overall mortality for the whole sample population was 9.6 %. The mortality among those who relapsed to heavy drinking (13.9%) wa s more than five times that of those who were abstinent or drank infre quently (2.7%) (P < 0.04). Fifteen of the 16 deaths (93.8%) among thos e who relapsed to heavy drinking were alcohol-related, and included fi ve suicides and accidents whilst under the influence of alcohol. Tempe rance significantly reduces short-term mortality in alcohol-dependent men when compared to those who relapse to continued heavy drinking. Th is difference was primarily due to reduction in the risk of alcohol-re lated deaths.