알코올중독에 대한 포괄적 치료 체계의 개발

Developing Therapeutic Framework for Treatment of Alcoholism: Focused on Seoul Alcohol Action Plan

Alcoholism is complex primary physiological disease with unique therapeutic interventions, and neither a primary behavior disorder nor ay symptomatic manifestation of any other disease process. And, it is highly prevalent disease with important impact on public health perspective. Therapeutic approach for alcoholism need to be organized by integrative and comprehensive systems, because that development and course of alcoholism are influenced by complex interaction between biological and environmental factors. We tried to developing effective intervening systems for alcoholism in seoul by evaluating the current state of service for alcoholism and referring to advanced treatment system in other countries. The problems of current state are lack of public awareness for seriousness of alcoholism, difficult access to treatment system and weak capacities to managing alcoholic patients in the community. Integrative and comprehensive intervening system for alcoholism are accomplished by developing system of matching services to alcoholic subjects in the community level based on seriousness and needs of alcoholic subjects. Referring to current state of alcoholism service in Seoul, treatment system should be developed based on continuum of care system in which the different intensity of service is placed and organized in the community level. First, the rehabilitation centers for chronic alcoholics and intensive outpatients centers should be newly established. Second, it is needed to strengthen the function of alcohol counseling centers and community mental health centers as coordination centers for alcoholics. Third, legal and political support should be established to induce improvement of inpatient and outpatient treatment service quality. Finally, setting up a committee to support and organize these integrative treatment systems is needed.