Alcohol Abstinence, Adherence, and Attitudes toward Disulfiram Treatment for Alcohol Dependence among Patients Attending a Tertiary Care Setting in North India

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 College of Nursing, AIIMS, BIBINAGAR

2 Nursing Advisor, Dte.GHS, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi

10.34172/ahj.1537

Abstract

Background: Disulfiram is the first Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug for the treatment of alcohol dependence, 
primarily acting as a deterrent agent. The available literature on disulfiram treatment for alcohol dependence among individuals 
in low-income and middle-income countries is scarce, while numerous factors impact the acceptance and adherence to such 
treatment.
Methods: The study utilized a purposive sampling methodology. The participants were contacted by telephone at 4 weeks, 12 
weeks, and 24 weeks after the initiation of disulfiram treatment. Alcohol abstinence was calculated using the self-reported total 
alcohol-free days, and adherence and attitudes toward disulfiram treatment were measured using the Treatment Compliance 
Assessment Scale (TCAS).
Findings: The participants had a mean age of 39.30±7.7 years. Nearly 62% and 46% of the subjects reported maintenance of 
alcohol abstinence after initiation of 12 and 24 weeks of disulfiram treatment, respectively. The proportion of non-adherent subjects 
increased from 36.3% to 57.2% during the 12-week and 24-week follow-up periods. Attitudes toward disulfiram treatment varied 
significantly across different time points. A strong positive correlation was observed in the alcohol abstinence, adherence, and 
attitude scores at different time points (P<0.01). 
Conclusion: The present study’s findings unveiled that nearly 60% and 40% of the study subjects were maintaining alcohol 
abstinence and adherence at 12 weeks and 24 weeks after initiation of disulfiram treatment, respectively. Disulfiram could be a 
viable psychological tool for alcohol abstinence, but objective measurements are required to underpin its utility in this setting.

Highlights

Jaison Joseph: (Google Scholar) (PubMed)

Deepika C. Khakha: (Google Scholar) (PubMed)

 

Keywords


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