Alcoholism is a chronic disease. It is therefore reasonable to expect that any person with alcoholism may experience several episodes of treatment, separated by periods of sobriety, over the course of a lifetime. Therefore, treatment cost research examines the long-term, or lifetime, costs for affected individuals. Such research may determine if saving money in the near term is shortsighted because such savings lead to greater costs over the long run. For example, although inpatient treatment may not seem cost-effective in the short term, if it reduces episodes of later care, it may compare favorably with other treatment strategies over the long term.
