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28
Mis 0. Jacobson andN. Peter SilfverskiSld
Drop-Outs
3 patients discontinued the treatment in group H, 2 in group N. 21 patients in
group H completed the 5 treatments within 2 months (against 18 in group N), 6
within 2-4 months (N = 6) and 10 within more than 4 months (N = 14). One
patient in group H died by accident at work two days after his fifth treatment.
Recordings during the observation period are thus available for 36 patients in
group H and 38 in group N.
Results
The two groups relationship to the clinic during the 6 months after the last treatment
are shown in Table 1. Fewer patients in group H visited the cUnic while drunk but
the difference is not statistically significant.
Table 2 shows the values of the most important variables totally for the two
groufw. Group H was on sick leave less time all together than group N (a mean of
26 days per patient in group H, 38 in group N). The decline in sick leave is seen
only in "somatic" diagnoses, but it is not more pronounced for any special group of
illnesses. The number ofsober visits to the clinic is greater in group H, but the number
of drunken visits less. The patients in group H who came drunk were admitted more
times than in group N and stayed more days (one patient in group H was admitted
five times). The statistical analysis did not show any significant differences in
distribution in any of the variables mentioned, due to the large variation within the
groups.
The groups were compared too with regard to the time spent in other psychiatric
clinics in Malmo, at institutions for alcohol addicts and in prison and with regard to
the number of convictions for drunkenness and drunken driving during the observa-
tion period. In none of the variables were there any significant differences in
distribution.
It has not been possible closely to map the misuse of psychopharmaca in these
patients. The alcohol clinic is restrictive when it comes to medication but out-
patients can get medicine from other sources. A patient in group H died by a
possibly deliberate overdose of psychopharmaca four months after the end of the
observation period. He had turned up for six follow-up visits during the observation
period seemingly in good shape and as far as is known completely sober.
Table 1.
The relationship of the patients to the clinic during the observation period
Group H
Group N
(n=40)
(n=40)
Discontinued the treatment
Dead
Appeared drunk at one or several visits
Appeared sober at all the visits
Had no contact with the clinic
3
1
14
18
4
2
—
22
11
5