Publication | Closed Access
Comorbidity of Mental Disorders With Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse
3.9K
Citations
0
References
1990
Year
Lifetime PrevalenceSubstance UseMental HealthSubstance Use DisordersPsychologySubstance Use RecoveryMental DisordersSubstance Use TreatmentComorbid Psychiatric DisorderAddiction MedicinePsychoactive Substance UsePublic HealthHealth SciencesPsychiatryAddiction TreatmentAlcohol AbuseAddiction PsychologyAlcohol ControlEpidemiologyAlcohol DependenceSubstance AbuseAlcohol StudiesAddictionSpecialty Mental HealthComorbid AlcoholMedicinePsychopathology
The study assessed comorbidity of alcohol, other drug, and mental disorders in the U.S. by interviewing 20,291 participants in the National Institute of Mental Health Epidemiologic Catchment Area Program. Lifetime prevalence of any non‑substance mental disorder was 22.5%, alcohol dependence 13.5%, and other drug dependence 6.1%; individuals with a mental disorder had a 2.7‑fold higher odds of an addictive disorder (≈29% prevalence), while those with an alcohol or drug disorder were seven times more likely to have the other addictive disorder, with 37% of alcohol‑disordered individuals and 53% of drug‑disordered individuals also having a mental disorder, and comorbidity was especially high in prison populations and specialty treatment settings.
The prevalence of comorbid alcohol, other drug, and mental disorders in the US total community and institutional population was determined from 20 291 persons interviewed in the National Institute of Mental Health Epidemiologic Catchment Area Program. Estimated US population lifetime prevalence rates were 22.5% for any non—substance abuse mental disorder, 13.5% for alcohol dependence-abuse, and 6.1% for other drug dependence-abuse. Among those with a mental disorder, the odds ratio of having some addictive disorder was 2.7, with a lifetime prevalence of about 29% (including an overlapping 22% with an alcohol and 15% with another drug disorder). For those with either an alcohol or other drug disorder, the odds of having the other addictive disorder were seven times greater than in the rest of the population. Among those with an alcohol disorder, 37% had a comorbid mental disorder. The highest mental-addictive disorder comorbidity rate was found for those with drug (other than alcohol) disorders, among whom more than half (53%) were found to have a mental disorder with an odds ratio of 4.5. Individuals treated in specialty mental health and addictive disorder clinical settings have significantly higher odds of having comorbid disorders. Among the institutional settings, comorbidity of addictive and severe mental disorders was highest in the prison population, most notably with antisocial personality, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorders. (<i>JAMA</i>. 1990;264:2511-2518)