Abstract:
The objective of this thesis is to review the recommendations for an all-day outpatient program for the rehabilitation of alcohol and medication abusers, and to examine the effectiveness of this approach in comparison to an in-patient treatment of patients. Several different hypotheses are being formulated against this background. The composition of the outpatient subjects should be comparable to that of the socially and professionally well integrated short-term in-patient subjects, but should differentiate itself clearly in the relevant patient characteristics from the long-term in-patient subjects, and a comparable therapy success should result. In additon, discriminative-analytical predictive factors for a later treatment success in each treatment group should be determined. The out-patient clinic of the Fachklinik Wilhelmsheim has been a rehabilitative setting for alcohol and medication addicts since 2001. Patient examinations were performed using a 2-group pre-post design structure from 01.04.2003 through 31.03.2004. Examinations were made at the start and finish of the therapy, and again at 12-month post-treatment for 82 out-patient subjects, 107 subjects from the individualized longterm program as well as 90 subjects of the shortterm in-patient program. To examine the questions, socio-demographic, disorder-specific and psychopathological characteristics are recorded. Abstinence rate and other success parameters, including relapse rate, are investigated with the help of a catmnese questionnaire, and after-care behaviour is reviewed in detail. Few significant differences existed between the out-patient and long-term in-patient subjects in regards to relevant socio-demographic, disorder-specific and psychopathological variables. In contrast to both in-patient areas, the out-patient clinic treats a disproportionate number of repeat patients. More frequent family problems and comparatively high family strains were reported from out-patient patients. The in-patient short-term subjects proved to be the patient group with the most stable social and professional characteristics. A high retention rate points to a high acceptance of the out-patient treatment as well as both in-patient settings. Over time, out-patient subjects are seeing the same „Abstinence“ success metric results as the long-term in-patient subjects despite having a higher share of repeat patients. In respect to relapse activity, one can observe in the out-patient clinic a high share of one-time and temporal restricted relapses whereas the short-time in-patient subjects showed the biggest successes. In the other relevent outcome measurements, the out-patient subjects demonstrated a higher assessment of satisfaction and fewer strains or actual need for support compared to the long-term patients. In respect to their after-care behaviour, more out-patient subjects keep in contact with a treatment facility and visit a self-help group. No predictive factors for a later treatment success can be formulated for any one of the specific treatment settings. Repeat patients tend to benefit more in the out-patient treatment than in the in-patient setting. The out-patient treatment of alcolhol and drug addicts therefore constitutes an effective treatment measure, even for patients with less favorable starting conditions.