Alcoholism Treatment in Trinidad

Summary Of a total patient population of 152 in Trinidad treated in 1965 through a program of build up, emetine, education and group therapy, 115 were followed up approximately one year following treatment. Thirty‐three per cent were discovered to be abstinent or very largely sober, and 52 per cent were drinking. A further study was undertaken to ascertain how many of the abstinent and sober remained so at the end of seven years, and in 1973, of the 45 located,49 per cent remained abstinent entirely, or were largely sober, 35per cent were drinking, and 11 per cent were dead through alcohol related problems. The remainder could not be traced. No evidence supports the proposition that membership in A.A. is the best insurance for ultimate sobriety. Nor is treatment by any one particular means–either emetine alone, or emetine plus active A.A. membership subsequently–insurance for successful outcome. This study also fails to substantiate certain studies that suggest that the best predictor of subsequent sobriety and successful achievement in life is abstinence after either six months or one year. In the Trinidad sample almost 50 per cent had returned to alcohol, at least half of them relapsing early after the 1966 follow‐up.