Specialised Treatment for Alcohol Abuse or Dependence

Background The National Plan tor Drugs in Spain (PNSD) fostered the prevention and treatment of illegal drug use disorders, and now also covers alcohol use disorders The goal of this paper is to estimate the number oh persons in, specialized real meta because of. alecthol it, pUblIC set Methods. Review of the key documents of the PNSD, the drug int matron system of Catalonia, and the Barcelona drug information system. For Catalonia and Barcelona data from 1991 to 20 Id are presented. Results. In recent years, there has been more information available for Spain as a whole, of varying validity nod comprehensiveness. In Catalonia, the number of reported admissisms to treatment: for alcohcil use disorders has risen: alcohol causes yearly over 40% of all admissions in the drug addiction :treatment network; mean age is 44 years, and 23% are women. In Barcelona, admissions to treatment due to alcohol are more than 2.000 each year, relative :frequency is 217 by 100.000 residents ove:r 15 yens taw :men and 67 for women. Conclusions. Available data shows that for alcohol the drug inforamtion system needs :further development in Spain, solving methodological issues. Available data for Catalonia suggests that the network of drug treeatment centres has improved treatment for alcohol use disorders along with that of illegal chugs. This information is relevant, as there is almost no population based treatment data. This information should be completed lot other Regional Administrations.