Abstract:
The increase of alcoholism with associated adverse consequences among adolescents and
young adults has been an issue of great concern in many parts of world and Kenya in
particular. In response, there has been an increase in the establishment of treatment and
rehabilitation services and demand for the same to assist alcohol abusers in recovery and
prevention of relapse. However, despite the availability and demand of these services,
there has been also a simultaneous increase in alcohol abuse and relapse cases. This
scenario cast doubts on the effectiveness of the existing treatment and rehabilitation
services in meeting the ever-increasing number of admitted cases. The purpose of study
was to establish factors contributing to relapse in selected rehabilitation centers in Nairobi,
Kenya. This study adopted cross sectional research design and focused on eight
rehabilitations centers with admission of 226 clients. Purposive, Probability Proportionate
to Size (PPS) and simple random sampling methods were used to select participating
centers and respondents. The sample sizes were 144 alcoholics and 8 professional helpers.
However, 82 alcoholics and 5 professional helpers were included in data analysis as some
were lost due to inconsistent responses and non-responses. Data was collected the through
administration of two sets of self-administered questionnaires to the selected respondents.
Data was analyzed and presented using frequencies, percentages, cross tabulations, Chi-
square, pie-charts and tables. Data analysis was performed by the use of Statistical
Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The study found out that more than half (62%) of the
alcoholics in rehabilitation centers were relapsees and they had slipped to drinking more
than once. The study established that relapse did not just occur but there were factors
within the individual and environment that were associated with it. The study recommends
that alcoholics need to be assisted to assume an active role in changing drinking behaviors
by enhancing their abilities to overcome or cope with risk situations.
