Second-year alcoholism treatment outcome evaluation with a focus on Mexican-American patients

Alcohol Services for Mexican Americans: A Review of Utilization Patterns, Treatment Considerations and Prevention Activities

There currently exists an information gap between researchers and providers of services aimed at the Mexican American alcoholic population. While epidemiologic-based information has surfaced, providing more detailed information on high-risk segments of the Mexican American population, currently little is known with respect to the forms of alcohol treatment most relevant and effective in alleviating abuse and dependency in this ethnic group. The intent of this review was to provide a bridge in information by synthesizing the available literature which addresses: (a) utilization patterns of alcohol-related services by Mexican Americans; (b) existing therapeutic approaches which take into account cultural factors, and; (c) existing approaches to alcohol abuse education and prevention for this population. Finally, recomnmendations for future alcohol service research aimed at the Mexican American population are suggested.

Substance abuse prognosis with an additional psychiatric diagnosis: understanding the relationship

Patients with alcohol and other substance abuse problems have poorer prognoses if there is a concomitant psychiatric diagnosis. However, because severity of psychiatric problems contributes more than the specific psychiatric diagnosis to prognosis, the nature of the interaction between substance abuse treatment outcome and an accompanying psychiatric diagnosis can be questioned. In this article an attempt is made to understand the poor-prognosis-with-psychiatric-diagnosis interaction through a literature review and an analysis of various problem areas that clients bring to substance abuse treatment. Problem areas were measured with a variety of instruments. The results show that groups that vary in severity of psychiatric problems also differ in severity of problems in other areas. As there is no doubt that such dual diagnosis patients pose a considerable treatment challenge, the implications of these findings for theoretical consideration and treatment planning are discussed.