Motivation to change drinking behavior: Comparison of alcohol-dependent individuals in a general hospital and a general population sample

The general hospital would be especially suited to initiate interventions i f hospitalized alcohol-dependent individuals were particularly motivated to change their drinking behavior. This study compares the readiness to chang e of alcohol-dependent persons in the general hospital and the general popu lation. Stages of change according to the model of Prochaska and DiClemente [6] are assessed using the Readiness to Change Questionnaire (RCQ) in two representative samples: 118 alcohol-dependent subjects admitted to a genera l hospital (sample II and 50 alcohol-dependent individuals in the general p opulation (sample 2). In sample 1, alcohol-dependent persons were identifie d in 1167 consecutive admissions rising screening questionnaires and a diag nostic interview (SCAN). In sample 2, alcohol dependence was assessed in 40 75 individuals using a German version of CIDI. The distribution of stages o f change differed significantly (p < 0.0001) between the groups, revealing a shift towards higher stages in the hospital subjects. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the stages of readiness to change and age contribut ed in predicting whether subjects belonged to the general hospital or the g eneral population sample. Findings suggest that the general hospital is a s uitable site to initiate interventions for alcohol-dependent individuals. ( C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.