Impact of chemical dependency on family health status.

Previous discussions of the relationship between chemical dependency and family health have been based primarily on clinical observations and on the perceptions of family members rather than on research evidence. In order to systematically document the relationship, this study compared family medical insurance claims 2 years prior to and 2 years following the year in which a family member completed a chemical dependency treatment program. Results indicate a significant decrease in claims following the family member's completion of treatment, thus suggesting a relationship between the chemical dependency of one family member and the health status of other family members.