Improvement in alcoholics measured using the General Health Questionnaire.

Over a 1-year study period all patients admitted to the department of psychiatry in a general hospital were asked to complete the General Health Questionnaire at admission, discharge, and first polyclinic (outpatient) follow-up contact. Seventeen per cent of admissions were alcoholics. Alcoholics improved rapidly after admission to the psychiatric department. This improvement was comparable to that of all the (psychiatric) patients admitted and continued after discharge.