Source: DGNews  |  Posted 8 years ago

By Paula Moyer

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- May 22, 2003 -- When people go through substance abuse treatment, they are encouraged to participate in a 12-step group, such as Alcoholics Anonymous. However, while dropping out of 12-step groups is common and associated with relapse, physicians can anticipate barriers to persistence and intervene to encourage persistence.

"Physicians involved in substance abuse treatment should routinely expect barriers to come up and address them directly," said John F. Kelly, MD. Dr. Kelly is a research scientist at the Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Palo Alto, California, United States. He presented his and his colleagues' findings here May 19th at the 156th Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association.

Typical barriers include discomfort with the spiritual direction of 12-step groups and questions that an older group member may have about comorbid psychiatric disorder and a recently treated individual's need for psychotropic medication. Physicians can help patients anticipate these issues, Dr. Kelly said. For example, they can remind patients that a belief in a deity is not a requirement for recovery from addiction, and they can help patients think through the pace at which they disclose personal details.

In this study, the investigators assessed the prevalence, predictors, and treatment-related factors affecting dropout in the first year following intensive substance use disorder treatment. Dr. Kelly and his co-investigators followed 2,778 male patients who had an average age of 43