Well, here's something interesting
Wednesday, January 4, 2006
By Stefanie Kranjec
TORONTO (Reuters) - Giving homeless alcoholics a regular supply of booze may improve their health and their behavior, according to a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on Tuesday.
Seventeen homeless adults, all with long and chronic histories of alcohol abuse, were allowed up to 15 glasses of wine or sherry a day -- a glass an hour from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. -- in the Ottawa-based program, which started in 2002 and is continuing.
After an average of 16 months, the number of times participants got in trouble with the law had fallen 51 percent from the three years before they joined the program, and hospital emergency room visits were down 36 percent.
"Once we give a ''small amount'' of alcohol and stabilize the addiction, we are able to provide health services that lead to a reduction in the unnecessary health services they were getting before," said Dr. Jeff Turnbull, one of the authors of the report.
"The alcohol gets them in, builds the trust and then we have the opportunity to treat other medical diseases... It''s about improving the quality of life."
Three of the 17 participants died during the program, succumbing to alcohol-related illnesses that might have killed them anyway, the study found.
The report showed that participants in the program drank less than they did before signing up, and their sleep, hygiene, nutrition and health levels all improved.
The per capita cost of around C$771 ($660) a month was partially offset by monthly savings of C$96 a month in emergency services, C$150 in hospital care and C$201 in police services per person.
Turnbull said some of the people enrolled in the program had stopped drinking altogether, although that was not an option for many of the participants.
"We agree 100 percent that abstinence is the most appropriate route," he said. "But in this subset of people where abstinence has failed, there is still a need to provide care."
By Stefanie Kranjec
TORONTO (Reuters) - Giving homeless alcoholics a regular supply of booze may improve their health and their behavior, according to a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal on Tuesday.
Seventeen homeless adults, all with long and chronic histories of alcohol abuse, were allowed up to 15 glasses of wine or sherry a day -- a glass an hour from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. -- in the Ottawa-based program, which started in 2002 and is continuing.
After an average of 16 months, the number of times participants got in trouble with the law had fallen 51 percent from the three years before they joined the program, and hospital emergency room visits were down 36 percent.
"Once we give a ''small amount'' of alcohol and stabilize the addiction, we are able to provide health services that lead to a reduction in the unnecessary health services they were getting before," said Dr. Jeff Turnbull, one of the authors of the report.
"The alcohol gets them in, builds the trust and then we have the opportunity to treat other medical diseases... It''s about improving the quality of life."
Three of the 17 participants died during the program, succumbing to alcohol-related illnesses that might have killed them anyway, the study found.
The report showed that participants in the program drank less than they did before signing up, and their sleep, hygiene, nutrition and health levels all improved.
The per capita cost of around C$771 ($660) a month was partially offset by monthly savings of C$96 a month in emergency services, C$150 in hospital care and C$201 in police services per person.
Turnbull said some of the people enrolled in the program had stopped drinking altogether, although that was not an option for many of the participants.
"We agree 100 percent that abstinence is the most appropriate route," he said. "But in this subset of people where abstinence has failed, there is still a need to provide care."
posted by unca | 8:33 AM
3 Comments:
I Love this part: Three of the 17 participants died during the program, succumbing to alcohol-related illnesses that might have killed them anyway, the study found.
I was just thinking about the doctors conducting this study.
“Ok we’re half way through the study Dr. Turnbull lets see where we stand so far with our test subjects”
Let’s see…. I just finished the latest report.
Homeless alcoholic #1 Drunk but healthy. #2 Drunk but very trusting. #3 Drunk but now washes his hands once a week, #4 Dead. #5 Drunk but is sleeping much better now. #6 Drunk but has a good positive outlook toward his fellow man. # 7 Drunk but is now urinating and defecating in dark corners instead of out in the open in front of little girls. # 8 Dead #9 Drunk but now knows what good sherry really is. #9 Drunk but is now down to 13 and a 1/2 glasses of wine per day. # 10 Drunk maybe even drunker (no significant changes here) #11 Drunk but is now out of the closet . #12 Drunk but did go on the wagon last week for 2 hours. #13 Drunk but now says”thanks pal God bless” instead of, “is that all you can afford you cheap SOB” when someone gives him a quarter. # 14 Drunk but his “Will work for food” sign now says” I will work for food”. #15 Dead #16 Drunk but now seems to show some pride in his shopping cart. #17 Drunk but did go back to law school.
Yeah, that was my favorite part too! Hard to believe, huh? Youre follow-up was great. I'm passing it around.
unca: i did see a news blurb on this subject and found it too bizarre.
blogball (if you come back here): again, your ability to "list and report/conduct conversations" is extremely amusing! i enjoy your take-offs.
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