Peer Support in Alcohol Dependence

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) affects between 4% and 6% of French adults, and requires appropriate medical treatment. However, 20-40% of patients with AUD are lost to follow-up at an early stage. Consequently, it is important for addiction departments to implement and evaluate innovative tools and interventions, including the involvement of peer support, to help patients remain in care, and to assess whether peer support has a positive impact on their clinical outcome. Addiction peer support specialists (APSSs) are individuals who have personally experienced addiction, and who have decided to use their experience to assist other people going through a similar situation, after completing a specific official graduation. Compared to other caregivers, APSSs may induce in patients a sense of identification which could improve the patient motivation to engage and remain in care. This is the main hypothesis and the main scientific objective of the PEERSIAD study, which will aim to confirm that accompanying patients with AUD using APSSs after alcohol detoxification, reduces the rate of lost-to-follow-up and improves the overall clinical outcome.