A survey on the members of volunteer groups in the metropolitan area
Shido, M.; Yamada, K.; Muraoka, H.; Higuchi, S.; Ito, C.; Shigemori, K.; Saito, M.; Ishii, N.; Muramatsu, T.; Kohno, H.
Arukoru Kenkyu to Yakubutsu Izon 21(1): 49-63
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0389-4118 PMID: 3718331 Document Number: 277692
We made inquires about the members of Danshukai, AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) and Danshutomonokai in the metropolitan area to understand the groups' activities and the members' social backgrounds and consciousness. These same inquires were given to the outpatients in National Kurihama Hospital who had not been participating in any groups. As the results of that, we came to know the following. 1. The properties of Danshukai are similar to those of Danshutomonokai, but those of AA are entirely different. 2. The members of AA are generally young as the average age is 43.9 years old, the singles are over half of the members. There are many persons who are not socially stabilized in the members of AA, as the unemployed person (51.3%), and the person who has been on welfare (47.8%). The average abstinent period is shorter than 1 year, and it is extremely shorter comparing with other groups. 3. In Danshukai and Danshutomonokai, the marital situation is good as over 70% of the members live with their spouses. There are many cases that the participation and cooperation by families support the members' abstinence, especially in Danshutomonokai. In both of the groups, the abstinent period is over 4 years. Still there are lots of opinions to develop the groups such as checking mannerisms and members' reeducation. 4. Owing to exact understanding of volunteer groups' properties as above, it should be necessary to adopt volunteer group actively for the treatment.