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Blacks Do Better Than Whites At Midwestern Treatment Center

Previous research comparing the outcomes of black and white patients with alcohol dependence have produced mixed results. For example, a recent study evaluated the effects of race (black and white) on treatment outcomes among alcoholic outpatients. The authors found that whites had worse treatment outcomes than blacks.

Researchers studied 316 outpatients, who were consecutively admitted to a single Midwestern addiction treatment center. The 174 patients who completed both baseline and follow-up at 6-12 months included 38 blacks (21.8%) and 136 (78.2%) whites. Follow-up intervals were 45 days for blacks and 54 days for whites. Blacks were more likely than whites to complete the follow-up assessment (90.5% vs. 65.4%). The similarity in outcomes may have resulted from the small number of black patients in the sample, the use of a single treatment center, or the method of self-report to measure outcomes.

Blacks, however, reported more social support for sobriety than whites. This support correlated significantly with improvements in both drinking frequency and quantity in blacks but not whites. In addition, blacks had better rates of study retention than whites, which suggests either higher levels of motivation or stronger alliances with the treatment center.

The authors concluded that future studies of racial differences and alcoholism treatment outcome should include measures of social support for sobriety, motivation for treatment, and treatment alliance.

(Brower, JK, Carey, LT: Racially related disparities and alcoholism treatment outcomes. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 27: 1365-1367, 2003)

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