Epidemiological Profile and Subjective Reasons of Relapse in Inpatient Service Personnel of Alcohol Dependence Syndrome-A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: An elaborate understanding of reasons of relapse is essential for successful de-addiction treatment in an endeavour to guide patient towards recovery. In service environment implications of relapse are deleterious to service prospect of armed force personnel. Aim: To explore epidemiological profile and subjective reasons for relapse in service personnels with Alcohol Dependence Syndrome (ADS) after de-addiction treatment. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 100 consecutive male patients of diagnosed Alcohol Dependence Syndrome (as per ICD-10: WHO 1992) undergoing inpatient treatment for 1st relapse. Semi structured interview to enumerate individual’s demographic profile, support system and other alcoholic milestones were taken into consideration. Reasons For Drinking Again Questionnaire (RFDAQ) was used to identify reason of relapse among relapse precipitants. The data was statistically analysed. Independence of the attributes was compared by use of Chi-square contingency table analysis. Comparisons of the means in the groups was done using the student’s t-test. A significance level of p<0.05 was accepted for all analysis. Non parametric t-test was also used. Results: In our study the mean age of the participants was 38.03 years (7.92). Mean age of onset of alcohol use was 24.31 years (3.642). 64% of study group manifested with relapse within 03 months of de-addiction treatment and only 20 % could maintain sobriety for more than a year. In our study 65% relapse participants manifested with uncomplicated alcohol withdrawal followed by 25% with alcohol withdrawal delirium tremens and 5% with seizures. The most common reasons for resuming alcohol intake were feeling sad, drinking as a result of good mood and someone offering them a drink. Conclusion: The reasons for resuming alcohol intake after achieving a period of abstinence were mostly intrapersonal factors like feeling of sadness and good mood followed by interpersonal issues like someone offering them a drink. Therapeutic implications are discussed.

Keywords

• addictive behaviour
• alcoholism
• recurrence
• risk and protective factor