Outcomes for patients with Alcohol Dependence Syndrome.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Outcomes for patients with Alcohol Dependence following community alcohol detoxification. An observational study.
IRAS ID
198564
Contact name
Ben Sessa
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Alcohol abuse is a common and incredibly destructive problem. Untreated, alcohol abuse claims many lives and causes a great deal of distress for sufferers and their families. It is estimated that there are over 15,000 deaths from alcohol related illnesses in the UK per year. Alcohol related inpatient admissions have doubled since 2005, highlighting alcohol misuse as a growing issue in the UK. It is estimated that 4% of people in the UK currently suffer from alcohol dependence. Treatment for alcohol dependence usually begins with helping patients to stop drinking alcohol completely, often called ‘detoxification’. Bristol Specialist Drug and Alcohol Services (SDAS) carry out over 450 community based detoxifications per year, with 85% of patient’s being alcohol free after the 14 day program. Following detoxification, patients go on to receive a wide range of different community-based treatments to help them remain abstinent (alcohol free). However, national data indicates that long term outcomes for patients are poor, with 60% drinking alcohol again by 1 year. Evidence also shows that risks and complications increase for patients who detox many times. \n\nThere is a clear need for new treatment options to help patients remain abstinent after detoxification, and there is interest in carrying out such studies in SDAS. However, there has never been, to date, a thorough evaluation of the outcomes of people who have successfully completed the detox program at SDAS. This observational study will follow a group of 40 patients from the start of their community detox for 9 months collecting detailed information about outcomes. We will be measuring how well these patients continue to avoid alcohol after their detox and how this impacts on their quality of life and functioning. We will also test a more frequent contact method in the form of monthly phone calls for half the patients, compared to just 3 follow-up visits, to see if this reduces missing data and drop-out rates. \n\nThis data will provide crucial information about outcomes for patients undergoing detoxification in SDAS. This will be used both by the trust in terms of service provision and outcomes, as well as by research teams to inform study design. Given the tremendous burden of alcohol misuse disorders on the population of Bristol, we feel this study is an important first step on the journey of developing new and innovative treatments for this population.\n
REC name
South West - Cornwall & Plymouth Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/SW/0049
Date of REC Opinion
18 Apr 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion