High-risk behavior in patients with alcohol dependence.

Context: Severity of alcohol dependence is related to the high-risk behavior of alcohol dependents.

Aim: To assess the high-risk behavior in patients with alcohol dependence and study the association between them.

Settings And Design: This is a descriptive study of high-risk behavior in patients with alcohol dependence, conducted over a period of 15-month duration that is from January 2011 to April 2012 on 200 alcohol-dependent patients (178 men and 22 women) in the Department of Psychiatry, Mamata Medical College and General Hospital, Khammam (TS), India.

Materials And Methods: Patients and their caregivers fulfilling the selection criteria were included in the study, and informed consent was obtained. Interview was carried out after 2 weeks to rule out the possibility of the presence of withdrawal symptoms in alcohol-dependent patients. Tools used for data collection include Sociodemographic and Clinical Profile Schedule, Clinical Institute of Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol, Mini-Mental Status Examination, Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire, and High Risk Behavior Questionnaire.

Statistical Analysis: Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and logistic regression test were used.

Results: The occurrence of high-risk behavior was substantial among patients with alcohol dependence syndrome. Event analysis method indicated that road traffic accidents associated with prior heavy drinking was the most frequently observed high-risk behavior.

Conclusions: The study reiterates the relationship between alcohol and sexual behavior and also highlights that individuals dependent on alcohol are a specifically vulnerable group.