Abstract
AIM: To identify whether intensive treatment and aftercare telephone contacts influence long-term abstinence and well-being of patients with alcohol dependency. METHODS: Six hundred and twenty two patients were evaluated at the beginning and end of intensive in-patient treatment. At the end of the treatment, the patients were divided into two recruitment cohorts--telephone contact group (n=347), in whom basic outcome criteria (abstinence, marital and employment status, self-evaluation of well-being) were evaluated 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after intensive treatment, and no contact group (n=275) in whom the basic outcome criteria were checked only at 24 months after the intensive treatment. At 24 months, response rate was 33.4% in telephone contact group (n=116) and 30.5% (n=84) in no contact group. RESULTS: Positive indicators of therapy success (abstinence or decrease in drinking, stabile social relations, and more positive self-evaluation of well-being) were found in 53.0% of patients at 3 months, 44.3% at 6 months, and 30.6% at 12 months in telephone contact group. Overall abstinence 24 months after the end of intensive treatment was reported in 25.7% of all patients, including non-respondents. Both groups achieved significant improvement in subjective well-being during intensive treatment. At 24 months, 3 attributes of subjective well-being (subjective psychological health, evaluation of financial status, general quality of life) were significantly higher in telephone contact group. However, groups did not significantly differ in the abstinence level (telephone contact group=27.7%, no contact group=24.4%). CONCLUSION: Significant differences in well-being variables between telephone contact group and no contact group at 24 months after the end of intensive treatment are at least partially due to phone contact/informative checking 3, 6, and 12 months after the end of intensive therapy. Telephone or any short and easy accessible communication checking is a promising as supportive and research tool in aftercare alcohol addiction treatment, especially because of its cost-benefit advantages.