Suchtkranke in der somatischen Medizin

Tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking are two of the major preventable health risks. Viewing this evidence, the aim of the present paper is to describe the prevalence of the respective behaviors in medical settings, the prerequisites for interventions and available techniques. Findings show that 8.5 % of female and 19.8 % of male inpatients admitted to one general hospital - mostly not because of addictive behaviors - were alcohol dependent.

To date, for this group as well as for smokers health care services provide no adequate intervention addressing these behaviors. A prerequisite for adequate interventions is a proactive approach that directly contacts the patients. The Transtheoretical Model can serve as a valuable framework for tailoring brief interventions according to individuals’ motivation to change. An especially approved and practical method within this frame is Motivational Interviewing. It is concluded that suitable techniques for early intervention in medical settings exist. The next necessary step is to implement these approaches into daily routine.