Online ISSN: 2515-8260

Psychiatric Evaluation of Patients Treated for Alcohol Dependence Syndrome in A Tertiary Care Hospital

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Dr. G. Santhosh Kumar

Abstract

Background: Alcohol consumption problems cause a considerable number of social, health, and economic effects in India. Despite the growing destruction, there remains a significant treatment gap for alcohol use disorder in our nation. The stigma attached to the habit and the reluctance to seek treatment is two factors contributing to this discrepancy. This study aimed to determine if these characteristics were associated with the result of complete abstinence, pre-treatment, and treatment data were prospectively collected. Methods: The present study was conducted in the adult rehabilitation unit of the Department of Psychiatry, Prathima Institute of Medical Sciences, Naganoor, Karimnagar. Institutional Ethical approval was obtained for the study. Written informed consent was obtained from the patient's caregiver at the beginning of the study. The International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) diagnostic criteria were used to identify alcohol dependency syndrome in new patients. Results: The SADD, Rotter's locus of control, and CIWA-Ar scores of the n=40 participants. A total of n=34 participants (85%) had a high dependence score of more than or equal to 20. The remaining 15 participants (15%) had a medium dependence score. Rotter's locus of control (external locus): The scores ranged from 11 to 23, with a mean of 17.01 and a standard deviation of 1.705. CIWA–Ar: The CIWA-Ar scores ranged from 1 to 45, with a median score of 7. A total of 65% of participants had a CIWA–Ar score of less than 10 and 35% of participants had a score of 10 or more. Conclusion: In this cohort of newly admitted alcohol-dependent patients from a tertiary care psychiatric unit of a general hospital, 40% of participants had maintained 100% abstinence after three months of conventional therapy. Regular follow-up hospital visits, good medication compliance, use of Disulfiram, receiving a medication-and-psychologicalmanagement regimen, and a less severe form of dependence, were the factors associated with abstinence.

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