EVALUATION OF A 4-WEEK VERSUS 6-WEEK LENGTH OF STAY IN THE NAVY ALCOHOL TREATMENT PROGRAM

Objective: Attempts to balance escalating health care costs with resou rce downsizing have prompted alcohol treatment directors in the U.S. N avy to consider reducing the standard length of stay in treatment. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine whether a 4-week inpat ient treatment program is as effective as a 6-week; program, and (2) e xplore the potential for matching patients to a 4- or 6-week program a ccording to the severity of their condition at intake. Method: A total of 2.823 active-duty alcohol-dependent inpatients (2,685 men, 138 wom en) at 12 Navy treatment facilities participated in the evaluation. Al l facilities conducted a 6-week program until data had been collected for 1,380 participants; they then switched to a ii-week program (n = 1 ,443). Background information and clinical profile were obtained when patients entered treatment; 1-year outcome data (e.g., alcohol use, be havior problems, job performance, quality of life) were obtained from participants, work supervisors and aftercare advisors. Hierarchical mu ltiple regression analysts were used to assess the effect of length of stay on outcome and to examine patient-program interactions. Results: The single best predictor of success at 1 year was months of aftercar e attendance. Program membership failed to explain any of the observed differences in the criterion measures, once the effects of other pred ictors had been taken into account. Severity of condition and patient- program interactions were likewise nonsignificant. Conclusions: It was concluded that a reduction in length of stay from 6 weeks to 4 weeks in the Navy's inpatient alcohol treatment program would not have an ad verse effect on outcome.