Nicotine, alcohol and drug dependence and psychiatric comorbidity. Results of a national household survey.
BACKGROUND
There is a well-recognised relationship between substance use disorders and other psychiatric disorders. This relationship has been well documented in a range of population-based studies.


OBJECTIVE
This study aims to report on consumption patterns of and dependence on nicotine, alcohol and non-prescribed drugs and to report on the levels of psychiatric morbidity in these groups.


METHODS
A national household study of psychiatric morbidity was conducted in England and Wales. Psychiatric assessment was based on the Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised (CIS-R). Measures of nicotine, alcohol and drug use and dependence were obtained. This paper compares the levels of psychiatric morbidity in the non-dependent and the nicotine-, alcohol- and drug-dependent cases.


RESULTS
Twelve per cent of the non-dependent population were assessed as having any psychiatric disorder compared with 22% of the nicotine-dependent, 30% of the alcohol-dependent and 45% of the drug-dependent population.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a clear relationship between dependence on nicotine, alcohol and drugs and other psychiatric morbidity.
Farrell
M
M
National Addiction Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, Maudsley Hospital, 4 Windsor Walk, London SE5 8AF, UK. m.farrell@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Howes
S
S
Bebbington
P
P
Brugha
T
T
Jenkins
R
R
Lewis
G
G
Marsden
J
J
Taylor
C
C
Meltzer
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology