Outpatient care participation and six-month status: results with an inner city impoverished alcoholic veterans population.

One hundred and thirty-seven impoverished, inner city, predominately Black alcoholic veterans were divided into four groups based on the frequency of their attendance at an outpatient clinic. They were assessed 6 months after their joining the clinic. In general, many variables reflecting lessened alcohol consumption were connected with greater amounts of clinic attendance. In most instances a month or more of attendance at the clinic appeared necessary before the positive changes started to occur.