CHARACTERISTICS AND MOTIVATION TO TREATMENT IN MALE PATIENTS ADMITTED WITH DEPENDENCE ON A LOCAL TYPE OF ALCOHOL IN SUDAN

Alcohol dependence remains highly prevalent and disabling and its treatment has always posed a considerable challenge. The current study is a descriptive hospital-based study aimed to review the characteristics and motivation to treatment in patients using local alcohol types. The study sample includes a total of 50 male patients who were admitted to Abdelaal Elidrissy hospital in Khartoum-Sudan. The participants were using a local type of alcohol called Araqi (a date-liquor distilled illegally in Sudan). The ICD-10 diagnostic criteria were used for the diagnosis of alcohol dependence. We used specific questionnaire designed to obtain alcohol history, and the participants were assessed for their motivation to be treated for alcohol dependence. The questionnaire used to assess motivation included 5 questions assessing recognition of alcohol problem, desire for help, readiness for treatment, external pressure for treatment, and need for treatment. A total of 50 patients participated in the study; all of them were male patients. The age distribution of patients included 44 (88%) patients in age the group 20-49 years. A total of 17 (34%) patients were between 40 and 49 years of age.

Assessment of patients’ motivation towards receiving treatment has shown that 66% recognize alcohol dependence as a problem. Analysis for factors that could possibly affect the individual’s desires for help revealed no statistically significant relationship related to age, marital status, duration of alcoholism, and number of previous periods of abstinence.