Introduction: The number of women treated for alcohol dependence in inpatient facilities in the Czech Republic sharply increased during the last 30 years. The costs of treatment increased in the same period considerably as well. For these reasons, it is desirable to monitor the effectiveness of treatment and to study factors contributing to successful outcome.Objectives: The main objective of this research was to evaluate the results of inpatient treatment at 12 months and 3 years follow-up. Analysis of the context of success was a secondary objective of the study.Methods: The first part of the information was based on data from medical records, the second part were obtained from patients who were asked to complete a questionnaire concerning their current status and selected aspects of treatment. The only criterion for inclusion to the study was at least 14 days spent in the treatment program in 2008 and 2006. In sum we monitored 150 patients, 76 treated in 2008 and 74 in 2006. Mean age was 40.4 years (SD = 14.6).Results: 57 % of patients treated in 2006 (three years follow-up) completely abstained from alcohol, and 47 % abstained of those treated in 2008 (12 months follow-up). Based on information from the medical records we defined potential predictors of treatment outcome. Of 14 tested predictors the following variables were related to positive treatment outcome: completion of the proposed treatment program, social support, and surprisingly also psychiatric comorbidity and pharmacotherapy of depression. Content analysis of patients’ responses to factors that they deem requisite for the success, indicated the following issues: 1) the adoption of the disorders (alcoholism as an illness) and adoption of abstinence as the primary goal of the therapy, 2) the importance of psychotherapy and other specific elements of the treatment, and 3) strengthen self-confidence and improvement of mental health status.Conclusions: Evaluation of the effectiveness of the Apolinarius treatment program for addicted women showed good result in terms of continuous abstinence twelve months and three years after treatment. The success in treatment was related to completion of the treatment program, the active cooperation of the family or partner in treatment and adequate pharmacotherapy of depression. Patients with positive outcome suggest the need for internal identification with the ideology of the treatment program (adoption of disease and abstinence as a goal of therapy).

Key words: alkohol dependence – Apolinarius treatment program– treatment effectiveness – abstinence