Prevalence of Alcohol Dependence in Therapeutic In-Patients

Abstract

The paper's objective was to study the prevalence and risk factors of alcohol dependence in somatic patients in one of the municipal hospitals of Izhevsk. The subjects (323 patients aged from 18 to 59 yrs) were selected using the method of continuous sampling. It has been established that the prevalence of hazardous alcohol drinking, such as frequent heavy drinking (FHD) and frequent drinking (FD), among men and women is high and accounts for 83% and 16% respectively. The prevalence of alcohol addiction was 42.9% in men and 9.7% in women. Sociodemographic correlates of alcohol addiction were the male gender, low level of education and unemployment. The rate of remission during the past year in patients with alcohol addiction was 13.8%. The comorbidity of alcohol addiction was statistically significant for digestive system diseases and tobacco addiction. Knowledge of risk factors can contribute to early detection and adequate treatment of alcohol dependence in patients of somatic hospitals.