Table 1.
Characteristics of study respondents (n = 140), with data presented as n (%) or mean (± standard deviation)
| Characteristics | MI group | BA group |
|---|---|---|
| n = 68 | n = 72 | |
| Age, years | 43 (13) | 40 (14) |
| Gender, male | 49 (72%) | 45 (63%) |
| Proportion native Norwegians or European origin | 65 (96%) | 69 (96%) |
| Education, years | 11.1 (2.3) | 11.2 (2.4) |
| Relationship, proportion single (i.e. living alone) | 29 (43%) | 37 (51%) |
| Main diagnosis (ICD-10) | ||
| Alcohol use disorder (six patients only met criteria for alcohol abusea) | 27 (40%) | 38 (38%) |
| Both alcohol and drug use disorder | 12 (18%) | 14 (19%) |
| Drug use disorder | 29 (43%) | 31 (43%) |
| Years of problematic use,b major drug(s) of abuse | 11.5 (9.1) | 11.3 (9.1) |
| Days of alcohol use within last 30 days | 12.7 (12.1) | 12.5 (12.4) |
| Days of drug use within last 30 days | 18.2 (13.1) | 16.2 (13.3) |
| EuropASI severity | ||
| Alcohol use | 0.43 (0.36) | 0.43 (0.37) |
| Drug use | 0.26 (0.21) | 0.23 (0.19) |
| Prior specialized addiction treatment; out-patient or in-patient treatment (detox excluded) | 42 (62%) | 49 (68%) |
| Prior participation in 12-Step groups (TSGs) | 35 (52%) | 32 (44%) |
| Earlier involvement in TSGs (AAAS score; scale 0–9) | 1.9 (2.5) | 1.5 (2.4) |
| Days on the ward | 12.6 (6.5) | 9.9 (3.2) |
aFour of these patients were in the motivational intervention (MI) group and two in the brief advice (BA) group. Of these, three and two were reached at follow-up in the MI and BA groups, respectively. bProblematic use, as defined by EuropASI, was the consumption of five or more standard drinks at least three times weekly, or binge drinking on 2 consecutive days to a level that afflicted daily functioning; for drug use, only frequency was needed: three times weekly or 2 consecutive days. AAAS = Alcoholics Anonymous Affiliation Scale; EuropASI = Addiction Severity Index, European version.