Autonomy of individuals with alcohol-related disorders: informed consent

Abstract

Informed consent, as a way to ensure involvement and treatment adherence, is part of the therapeutic approach to individuals with alcohol-related disorders. Autonomy, as a core ethical value, and its immanence for informed consent presents ethical-clinical challenges in the case of individuals seeking treatment due to coercion, anxiety, or depression. Between April 2018 and June 2019, a prospective longitudinal observational study was conducted with 150 people with alcohol-related disorders attending a specialized treatment facility. The goal was to verify whether consent obtained under coercion, or influenced by anxiety disorder or depression determines therapeutic participation. Absence of judicial coercion and anxious symptomatology and the greater value placed on perceived autonomy in informed consent were related to participation. The study proposes contributions to strengthen the practice of obtaining informed consent based on the recognition and promotion of autonomy.