Mortality among patients treated for alcoholism: a 5-year follow-up
De Lint, J.; Levinson, T.
Canadian Medical Association Journal 113(5): 385-387
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0008-4409 PMID: 168951 Document Number: 92785
During a 5-year follow-up of 154 male and female patients treated for alcoholism at the Donwood Institute, 22 deaths were recorded--almost 4 times the expected number. Typical causes were accidents, suicide, cirrhosis of the liver, cancers of the upper digestive and respiratory tracts and ischemic heart disease. Compared with other samples of alcoholics, unusually few deaths occurred during the first 2 years of follow-up, which suggests the importance of the post-treatment attention given to these patients and the need to greatly extend the duration of aftercare.