Suchttherapie 2011; 12 - PO53
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1284701

Gender differences and interaction-effects on heavy relapse risk in alcohol dependent patients

T Leménager 1, S Hoffmann 1, I Reinhard 1, M Casares 1, A Zimmer 1, K Mann 1
  • 1Zentralinstitut für Seelische Gesundheit, Mannheim

Aims: The literature reports psychological and biological factors contributing gender differences in alcohol dependence (Walitzer & Dearing, 2006). Methods: 426 detoxified alcohol dependent patients (327 men) were investigated. Drinking motives (IDS), negative consequences of drinking (DRINC) and personality traits (TCI) were assessed. The observation period took about 18 months (one year follow-up). Patients received acamprosate and naltrexone vs. placebo and Medical Management (MM) for three months. Gender differences were assessed at baseline. Interaction effects between gender and medication as well as other predictors on time to heavy relapse were analyzed by Cox regressions. Results: Women reported a later onset (34.1 years) than men (29.9 years), but had similar drinking patterns. They showed more often negative drinking motives. Men in contrast reported more often positive drinking motives. Women scored higher on the TCI personality scales Cooperativeness and Reward Dependence. They reported more psychosocial negative consequences of drinking. Men showed higher scores on TCI Persistence and reported more negative lifetime consequences of impulsive behaviour. Analyses of interaction effects on the relapse risk revealed a reduced risk with higher cooperativeness in men. In women was an increased Cooperativeness associated with an elevated relapse risk. No medication x gender effects were found. Discussion: According to previous studies, alcohol dependent women showed an earlier onset of dependence than men (Mann et al., 2010). Contrary to the literature (Greenfield et al., 2010), we did not found gender-differences in drinking patterns nor gender specific medication effects. We observed gender differences in personality traits and drinking motives. These results indicate different psychotherapeutic foci in the treatment of alcohol dependent men and women.

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