Journeys of recovery following an alcohol detoxification programme
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Journeys of recovery following a hospital based alcohol detoxification programme: a mixed methods study
IRAS ID
199077
Contact name
Lucy Dorey
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Southampton
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 5 months, 0 days
Research summary
What factors support and pose barriers to recovery from alcohol dependence following detoxification in an acute medical hospital setting?
It has long been recognised that hospitals provide an opportunity to increase the number of patients with alcohol problems engaging in alcohol treatment. Patients with moderate to severe alcohol dependence often require medical support to stop drinking (detoxification). Detoxification is increasingly being provided by hospital based alcohol teams. After detoxification these patients are usually referred to community based alcohol teams, but it is not known if this is an effective pathway to avoid relapse and engage these patients in recovery from dependence.
Patients who need alcohol detoxification at the Queen Alexandra Hospital (QAH) in Portsmouth are treated by the Alcohol Specialist Nurse Service (ASNS). After detoxification Portsmouth patients are seen as outpatients by the ASNS for up to a year, while patients who live in other parts of Hampshire are referred on to local community alcohol services and discharged after one follow up appointment. This research study will compare these two different pathways. Thus, an analysis of anonymous hospital, alcohol service and GP data between 2010 and 2015 will compare outcomes for those following the Portsmouth and Hampshire pathways (a retrospective analysis of routine data). These will include deaths, hospital admissions, emergency department presentations, liver function test results, and engagement with alcohol treatment and GP services as process measures. This study also explores patients' accounts of the changes they make in early recovery and factors seen as supporting and hindering recovery. Twenty consenting patients from each pathway will be interviewed and asked to complete questionnaires at one week, three months, six months and a year after detoxification (a prospective longitudinal study). It is anticipated that this will highlight treatment and non-treatment factors that support recovery for this patient group.
REC name
South Central - Hampshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/SC/0278
Date of REC Opinion
28 Jun 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion