Nalpas Bertrand, Boulze-Launay Isabelle
Inserm Scientific Information and Communication Department, Inserm, Paris, France.
Department of Addictology, CHRU Caremeau, Nîmes, France.
Alcohol Alcohol. 2018 Jan 1;53(1):89-94. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agx085.
To analyse abstinence rates 12 months after alcohol cessation in a sample of French subjects participating in support group meetings.
The project was co-designed with support group representatives, and co-investigator roles were delegated to meeting managers. Subjects who had stopped drinking for <3 months were included. An independent investigator evaluated alcohol intake and group attendance every 3 months using a questionnaire, and time to first drink was analysed using survival curves.
Overall, 145 participants were included, mean age 47 years. At 1 year, 43% of the 119 who could be evaluated were abstinent. Relapse rates did not differ by gender, withdrawal method, previous stays in a rehabilitation unit or time of first contact with the self-help association. However, participants receiving specialist medical and/or psychological support in addition to attending group meetings had a significantly lower abstinence rate than those who only attended group meetings, although their attendance at group meetings was similar.
Self-help associations can participate in rigorous scientific studies. The present results identified a subgroup of individuals with alcohol problems who attended self-help groups, but not traditional care pathways. Having additional specialist support was not associated with better outcome.
