New Cochrane Review finds Alcoholics Anonymous and Twelve-Step Facilitation programs help people to recover from alcohol problems

Newly updated evidence published in the Cochrane Library today compares Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and clinically-related Twelve-Step Facilitation (TSF) programs with other treatments, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, to see if they help people who suffer from alcohol use disorders achieve sobriety or reduce the amount of alcohol that they consume.Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a prevalent, world-wide problem, and in some countries it is accelerating. ‘Alcoholics Anonymous’ (or AA for short) has been a popular treatment for alcohol use disorder for decades, but much debate has persisted on whether AA – and related 12-step clinical treatments designed to increase AA participation are effective.AA are peer-led mutual-help groups. Twelve-step facilitation programs adopt some of the principles and techniques of AA and are delivered by clinicians. They are aimed at engaging people within AA during and after treatment for alcohol use disorder. Some of these programs follow a manual, so that the same treatment can be delivered at different times and places.This Cochrane review looks at the effects of these programs on reducing alcohol consumption and the effects of heavy drinking (such as physical health, family, or employment problems), and enhancing long-term abstinence.   The authors of the review also examined whether AA and TSF programs reduce healthcare costs compared to other treatments.The previous Cochrane review published in 2006 was based on the eight available...
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