ORIGINAL PAPER
Socio-demographic indicators of alcohol dependence in patients treated for addiction in a post-industrial city
More details
Hide details
1
Wojewódzki Szpital Specjalistyczny nr 4 w Bytomiu / Provincial Specialist Hospital No. 4 in Bytom, Bytom, Poland (Oddział Psychiatrii / Psychiatric Ward)
2
Śląski Uniwersytet Medyczny w Katowicach / Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland (Wydział Lekarski z Oddziałem Lekarsko-Dentystycznym w Zabrzu, Katedra i Oddział Kliniczny Psychiatrii w Tarnowskich Górach / School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Department of Psychiatry in Tarnowskie Góry)
3
Wielospecjalistyczny Szpital Powiatowy w Tarnowskich Górach / Multispeciality District Hospital in Tarnowskie Góry,
Tarnowskie Góry, Poland (Oddział Psychiatryczny / Psychiatric Ward)
Online publication date: 2019-03-07
Corresponding author
Marcin Kozak
Wojewódzki Szpital Specjalistyczny nr 4 w Bytomiu,
Oddział Psychiatrii, al. Legionów 10, 41-902 Bytom
Med Pr Work Health Saf. 2019;70(2):221-8
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Background: The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of the place of living on the prevalence of the alcohol dependence
syndrome (ADS) and to find its possible connections with socio-demographic data within a post-industrial city with a population
> 100 000 inhabitants. Material and Methods: The study was carried out in 2004–2012 on a group of 431 patients living in Bytom
with diagnosed ADS treated either in psychiatric wards or in outpatient psychiatric clinics. The patients’ gender, age, employment,
marital status, level of education and the fact of living in a given town district were analysed. The majority of the demographic data
was obtained from the City Office. Results: The study demonstrated the influence of the place of living, age, gender, level of education
and employment on the prevalence of ADS in a post-industrial city. Conclusions: Alcohol addicts who seek treatment are
predominantly men > 40 years of age, with low education, mostly unemployed, living in the urbanized districts within the city center
or the post-industrial area of the city, which are the areas with the highest risk of ADS. Living in a suburban neighborhood may protect
against alcohol addiction due to the lower risk of exposure to environmental factors contributing to the prevalence of ADS. Additional
protective factors include at least secondary education and paid employment prospects. The neighborhood of people with ADS has
a particularly devastating effect on women, who are more likely to become addicted in such environments. Med Pr. 2019;70(2):221–8