Maintenance of Abstinence in Self-Help Groups

Aim: To analyse abstinence rates 12 months after alcohol cessation in a sample of French subjects participating in support group meetings. Method: The project was co-designed with support group representatives, and co-investigator roles were delegated to meeting managers. Subjects who had stopped drinking for <3 months were included. An independent investigator evaluated alcohol intake and group attendance every 3 months using a questionnaire, and time to first drink was analysed using survival curves. Results: Overall, 145 participants were included, mean age 47 years. At 1 year, 43% of the 119 who could be evaluated were abstinent. Relapse rates did not differ by gender, withdrawal method, previous stays in a rehabilitation unit or time of first contact with the self-help association. However, participants receiving specialist medical and/or psychological support in addition to attending group meetings had a significantly lower abstinence rate than those who only attended group meetings, although their attendance at group meetings was similar. Conclusion: Self-help associations can participate in rigorous scientific studies. The present results identified a subgroup of individuals with alcohol problems who attended self-help groups, but not traditional care pathways. Having additional specialist support was not associated with better outcome.