Abstract:The consumption of alcohol has increased considerably in recent years in Sweden, as in most other countries: from approximately 4 litres of 100% alcohol per annum/capita among those over 15 years of a...The consumption of alcohol has increased considerably in recent years in Sweden, as in most other countries: from approximately 4 litres of 100% alcohol per annum/capita among those over 15 years of age in 1947 to approximately 8 litres in 1976. The proportion of the population drinking alcoholic drinks has also increased, especially among the young and, in particular, among girls (Hibell, 1977). These facts are indeed frightening, since it has been established that persons who habitually misuse alcohol at an early age run a much greater risk of severe damage from alcohol than those who commence misuse in later years (Collett, 1963; Dahlberg, 1944). Although the misuse of alcohol constitutes one of our greater social problems, there are only a few clinical studies available that present a prognosis for untreated cases of alcoholism in youngsters in their early teens. Investigations published earlier by the present authors have shown that the prognosis for youngsters who were apprehended for drunkenness but who did not receive therapy of any kind could be serious and that the risk of relapse among them was high. For example, Eklund & Ny lander (1965) and Ny lander & Rydelius (1973) found that the risk of one relapse incident was about 50% for boys and that approximately 15% of the boys who were arrested for drunkenness already showed signs of chronic alcoholism within a 5 -year period immediately following the arrest. Collett (1963) demonstrated that the statistical risk for relapse in drunkenness after three such relapses was practically 100% for boys.Read More
Publication Year: 1978
Publication Date: 1978-09-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 7
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