TY - JOUR
T1 - How much is too much? Patterns of drinking during alcohol treatment and associations with post-treatment outcomes across three alcohol clinical trials
AU - Witkiewitz, Katie
AU - Roos, Corey R.
AU - Pearson, Matthew R.
AU - Hallgren, Kevin A.
AU - Maisto, Stephen A.
AU - Kirouac, Megan
AU - Forcehimes, Alyssa A.
AU - Wilson, Adam D.
AU - Robinson, Charles S.
AU - McCallion, Elizabeth
AU - Tonigan, J. Scott
AU - Heather, Nick
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Grants R01AA022328 (to Katie Witkiewitz, principal investigator); K01 AA023233 (to Matthew R. Pearson, principal investigator); 2K05 AA016928 (to Stephen A. Maisto, principal investigator); T32 AA018108 (to Barbara S. McCrady, principal investigator); and T32AA007455 (to Mary E. Larimer, principal investigator). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of National Institutes of Health.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, Alcohol Research Documentation Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2017/1
Y1 - 2017/1
N2 - Objective: This secondary data analysis examined patterns of drinking during alcohol treatment and associated drinking outcomes during the first year following treatment. The goal was to provide clinicians with guidance on which patients may be most at risk for negative long-term outcomes based on drinking patterns during treatment. Method: This study was an analysis of existing data (N = 3,851) from three randomized clinical trials for alcohol use disorder: the COMBINE Study (n = 1,383), Project MATCH (n = 1,726), and the United Kingdom Alcohol Treatment Trial (n = 742). Indicators of abstinence, non-heavy drinking, and heavy drinking (defined as 4/5 or more drinks per day for women/men) were examined during each week of treatment using repeated-measures latent class analysis. Associations between drinking patterns during treatment and drinking intensity, drinking consequences, and physical and mental health 12 months following intake were examined. Results: Seven drinking patterns were identified. Patients who engaged in persistent heavy drinking throughout treatment and those who returned to persistent heavy drinking during treatment had the worst long-term outcomes. Patients who engaged in some heavy drinking during treatment had better long-term outcomes than persistent heavy drinkers. Patients who reported low-risk drinking or abstinence had the best long-term outcomes. There were no differences in outcomes between low-risk drinkers and abstainers. Conclusions: Abstinence, low-risk drinking, or even some heavy drinking during treatment are associated with the best long-term outcomes. Patients who are engaging in persistent heavy drinking are likely to have the worst outcomes and may require a higher level of care.
AB - Objective: This secondary data analysis examined patterns of drinking during alcohol treatment and associated drinking outcomes during the first year following treatment. The goal was to provide clinicians with guidance on which patients may be most at risk for negative long-term outcomes based on drinking patterns during treatment. Method: This study was an analysis of existing data (N = 3,851) from three randomized clinical trials for alcohol use disorder: the COMBINE Study (n = 1,383), Project MATCH (n = 1,726), and the United Kingdom Alcohol Treatment Trial (n = 742). Indicators of abstinence, non-heavy drinking, and heavy drinking (defined as 4/5 or more drinks per day for women/men) were examined during each week of treatment using repeated-measures latent class analysis. Associations between drinking patterns during treatment and drinking intensity, drinking consequences, and physical and mental health 12 months following intake were examined. Results: Seven drinking patterns were identified. Patients who engaged in persistent heavy drinking throughout treatment and those who returned to persistent heavy drinking during treatment had the worst long-term outcomes. Patients who engaged in some heavy drinking during treatment had better long-term outcomes than persistent heavy drinkers. Patients who reported low-risk drinking or abstinence had the best long-term outcomes. There were no differences in outcomes between low-risk drinkers and abstainers. Conclusions: Abstinence, low-risk drinking, or even some heavy drinking during treatment are associated with the best long-term outcomes. Patients who are engaging in persistent heavy drinking are likely to have the worst outcomes and may require a higher level of care.
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U2 - 10.15288/jsad.2017.78.59
DO - 10.15288/jsad.2017.78.59
M3 - Article
C2 - 27936365
AN - SCOPUS:85006312604
SN - 1937-1888
VL - 78
SP - 59
EP - 69
JO - Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs
JF - Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs
IS - 1
ER -