Clinical Characteristics of Female Alcoholic Inpatients in a Mental Hospital

Sung, Sang Kyung; Shin, Dong Hwan; Song, Jong Ho; Lee, Kyu Hang

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to provide a basic data of female alcoholics by understanding the gender differences of the clinical characteristics including demographic characteristics, alcoholic history, family history, drinking patterns, reasons for drinking, and comorbidity in male and female alcoholics. It also ained to establish the therapeutic plans through understanding the patterns of disease and the patterns of family cooperation in female alcoholics.
METHODS
The study subjects consisted of 51 male and female alcoholics admitted to a mental hospital from January 1, 1991 to May 31, 1996. Subjects were age- and sex-matched. We reviewed patients' charts and administered questionaires. Mean age of female alcoholics was 44.45+/-11.02 years and that of male alcoholics was 44.17+/-10.08 years. All male and female patients met with the DSM-III-R criteria of alcohol dependence.
RESULTS
Female alcoholics were later in drinking-onset age, and to had shorter duration of previous drinking history and less average amount of daily drinking than male alcoholics. And female alcoholics were found to seek treatment more voluntarily, and to have less frequent delirium tremens after admission and less medical complications such as hepatitis and diabetes mellitus. Also female alcoholics had more frustration experiences of separation such as death of family member, divorce, and husband's physical abuse. Female alcoholic's families had more uncooperative attitude toward treatment such as threat to divorce after admission.
CONCLUSIONS
There were many differences between male and female alcoholics of demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, and patterns of family cooperation. Female alcoholics were found to have more experiences of psychosocial frustration including death of family member and marital conflicts, and more uncooperative attitude of her family members. Therefore, it is required that therapists consider the characteristics of female alcoholics upon treatment and prevention, and have more concern about female alcoholics.