Van den Berg JF, Van den Brink W, Kist N, Hermes JSJ, Kok RM. Social factors and readmission after inpatient detoxification in older alcohol-dependent patients.
Am J Addict 2015;
24:661-6. [PMID:
26300471 DOI:
10.1111/ajad.12287]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2015] [Revised: 08/04/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Alcohol dependence is often a chronic relapsing disorder with frequent admissions to inpatient facilities. This study in older alcohol-dependent inpatients investigates the role of social factors in readmissions after inpatient detoxification.
METHODS
In a prospective study, 132 older alcohol-dependent patients admitted to inpatient detoxification (mean age 63.4, SD = 6.6, 39.4% women) were interviewed with the European version of the Addiction Severity Index (Europ-ASI). Readmission to inpatient treatment was monitored up to 1 year after discharge. The effect of social factors on readmission, the number of readmissions and the time to first readmission was established using group comparisons, Poisson regression analysis, and Cox' proportional hazards regression analysis, respectively.
RESULTS
Sixty-seven (50.8%) of the 132 patients were readmitted within 1 year. In this group, the median number of readmissions was 2 (IQR = 2, range 1-6) and the median time to first readmission was 88 days (IQR = 116, range 3-356). In a multivariate analysis, spending most leisure time alone predicted fewer readmissions. None of the other social factors predicted readmission, number of readmissions or time to first readmission.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
Rehospitalization of older alcohol-dependent patients after detoxification is very common, and generally not predicted by social factors. Only spending most leisure time alone may play a role.
SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE
This study shows that most social factors are-unexpectedly-not associated with rehospitalization of older alcohol-dependent patients after detoxification. "Spending leisure time alone" warrants further study as a potentially modifiable predictor.
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