Nicotine, alcohol and drug dependence, and psychiatric comorbidity--results of a national household survey.
There is a well-recognized relationship between substance use disorders and other psychiatric disorders. This relationship has been well documented in a range of population-based studies. 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. 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. 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. There is a clear relationship between dependence on nicotine, alcohol, and drugs and other psychiatric morbidity.
National Addiction Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London. m.farrell@iop.kcl.ac.uk
M
M
Farrell
S
S
Howes
P
P
Bebbington
T
T
Brugha
R
R
Jenkins
G
G
Lewis
J
J
Marsden
C
C
Taylor
H
H
Meltzer
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008609:Mental Status Schedule / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D017678:Sex Distribution; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D009538:Nicotine