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

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 ۴ weeks, ۱۲ weeks, and ۲۴ 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 ۳۹.۳۰±۷.۷ years. Nearly ۶۲% and ۴۶% of the subjects reported maintenance of alcohol abstinence after initiation of ۱۲ and ۲۴ weeks of disulfiram treatment, respectively. The proportion of non-adherent subjects increased from ۳۶.۳% to ۵۷.۲% during the ۱۲-week and ۲۴-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<۰.۰۱). Conclusion: The present study’s findings unveiled that nearly ۶۰% and ۴۰% of the study subjects were maintaining alcohol abstinence and adherence at ۱۲ weeks and ۲۴ 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.

کلیدواژه ها:

Disulfiram ، alcohol abstinence ، Attitude ، Adherence