A comparison of home detoxification and minimal intervention strategies for problem drinkers

Abstract

The Home Detoxification Service (HDS) established in central Scotland was introduced in response to a high admission rate of problem drinkers to the acute psychiatric wards in Bellsdyke Hospital. This paper reports the results of a comparison of two types of management for people referred to the HDS by local general practitioners (family doctors). Ninety-five patients referred to the HDS were randomly allocated to two groups of differing treatment intensities. With one group, the home detoxification (HD) programme was utilized and with the other, minimal intervention (MI) strategies were employed. Post-treatment outcome information collected after 6 months was examined in relation to drinking behaviour, changes in levels of alcohol-related problems and uptake of on-going support from other alcohol agencies. The majority of patients in both treatment groups demonstrated some degree of improvement in relation to these criteria and the most striking factor was that patients in the HD group remained abstinent twice as long after treatment as those in the MI group.