148th Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association

Abstract

About 300 participants, especially from the German-speaking parts of Europe attended the 5th European meeting on September 13-15, 1995, in Hamburg, organized as a common effort of the uni versities of Zürich, Hamburg, and London as well as the Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research, in collaboration with the World Health Organization.Gender plays a central role in the understanding of addictive behavior and the development of dependency, as well as in daily clin ical practice.An active debate is taking place on gender-related fac tors in the prevalence, course and treatment of addiction, clearly demonstrating the need for a multidisciplinary approach.As in pre vious years, speakers from 7 European countries presented empirical research as well as clinical results, treatment evaluation under var ious aspects of addictive behavior, prevention and sexuality, as well as gender-related therapy concepts and treatment models and their ramifications for children and family.During a special forum, treat ment models developed especially for women as well as further needs in various countries were discussed.1995 was the first year that the new 'European Addiction Research Award' was offered: its first recipient was the head of the European office of the WHO lifestyle department in Europe, Cees Goos, especially honoring his activity in integrating researchers from Central and Eastern Europe and supporting European activities in the research field.A detailed laudatio presented by Ambros Uchtenhagen will be published.The next meeting in Zürich, September 11-13, 1996, will focuson Addiction and the Law and will deal with: prescribing treatment to convicts, legalization versus prohibition and first results of the heroin project in Zürich, to name just a few topics.Additional information is available from the Editorial Office or the Congress Secretariat