The intervention improved drinking patterns in adult children of alcoholics.

Positive effects of alcohol intervention between 1 and 2 years were found only in the combined intervention group, contrary to the 1-year results with effects of alcohol intervention with or without a combination with coping intervention.

Intervention with feedback using Outcome Questionnaire 45 (OQ-45) in a Swedish psychiatric outpatient population. A randomized controlled trial.Hansson, Helena; Rundberg, Jenny; Österling, Agneta; Öjehagen, Agneta; Berglund, Mats Hansson, H., Rundberg, J., Österling, A., Öjehagen, A., & Berglund, M. (2013). Intervention with feedback using Outcome Questionnaire 45 (OQ-45) in a Swedish psychiatric outpatient population. A randomized controlled trial. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 67(4), 274-281. DOI: 10.3109/08039488.2012.736534 General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.• Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research.• You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ABSTRACT AimThe objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of the Outcome Questionnaire 45 (OQ-45) with feedback in a Swedish psychiatric outpatient population using a randomised controlled design. MethodIn all 1,720 patients made at least one regular visit to the clinics in the period 12 February 2007 to 10 February 2008 and received information about the study. Of these, 374 patients (22%) agreed to participate. After written consent, 188 patients were randomised to the feedback group and 186 patients to the control group .Those constituted the intention to treat, ITT group. 262 patients (70%) completed the OQ-45 questionnaire at least twice, and they were included in the per protocol analysis. Those who improved less than expected and were at risk for treatment failure were called alerted patients. ResultsThere was a tendency that patients who received feedback improved more than the controls in OQ-45 total score. In the ITT analysis the p-value was 0.061 and the effect size g=0.21. In the per protocol analysis the p-value was 0.076 and the effect size g=0.24. In the intervention group, 27% of the patients were alerted because of risk of treatment failure versus 28% in the control group (reaching level of alertness). The OQ-45 differences between the intervention and control groups did not significantly differ for patients who were alerted/reaching level of alertness and for non-alerted patients (g=0.17 and g=0.28, respectively). ConclusionsThe feedback group had a tendency to improve more than the control group, possibly indicating that the method is effective, and the result (basically) supports previous findings.

Mental symptoms were common among the participating women. The presence of severe mental symptoms was strongly associated with severe physical symptoms. Few women with severe mental symptoms used psychotropic drugs. Middle-aged women with severe mental symptoms need to be identified and provided with appropriate psychopharmacological, hormonal, and/or psychosocial treatment.

Although drinking patterns in women have received increased attention, few studies have focused on middle-aged women. Drinking patterns were investigated in a population sample of 513 Swedish women aged 50-59, and analysed in relation to social situation, and mental and physical health. The chi-square test was used to analyse differences in proportions. Variables showing significant differences were entered into a multivariate or multinomial logistic regression model. Abstainers and occasional drinkers had lower levels of education and more often regular medical control compared with weekly drinkers. Furthermore, abstainers more often had disability pension. Among women drinking alcohol, 56.6% affirmed binge drinking within the last year and 39.4% within the last month. Binge drinkers did not differ in terms of social situation, mental or physical health, compared with other drinkers. Drinking to relieve tension was affirmed by 7.2%. These women had more mental symptoms and less contact with friends compared with other drinkers; furthermore, they were more often binge drinkers. Binge drinking was common and health and social consequences of this drinking pattern in middle-aged women need to be further explored. Women drinking to relieve tension may need intervention for both drinking habits and mental health.