Determinants of Drinking Relapse after Treatments in Patients with Alcohol Dependence in Sichuan Province

Objective To identify factors that influent drinking relapse after treatments in patients with alcohol dependence in Sichuan province. Methods Data were collected in 10 cities of Sichuan province from September 2014 to June 2015, involving 599 patients who received treatments for alcohol dependence. A questionnaire survey was administered on these patients one year after discharge through face to face interviews, collecting data in relation to their demographic characteristics, drinking over the past year, smoking, mood and level of stress. Ordinal polytomous logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the association of these factors with drinking relapse. Results All of the 599 patients started drinking again after treatments: 18 having low-risk drinking, 92 having hazardous drinking, 103 having harmful drinking, and 386 having alcohol dependence. Younger patients 〔odds ratio (OR)=0.978, P=0.009〕, those who experienced less positive events (OR=0.978, POR=1.014, P=0.003), and those with depression (OR=1.121, P=0.001) were more likely to resume a higher level of alcohol drinking than their counterparts. Conclusion High relapse with alcohol dependence is evident. So does hazardous and harmful drinking. Negative life events and depression are risk factors of drinking relapse, while older age and positive life events are protective factors.