Prevalence and identification of alcohol use disorders among severe mental illness inpatients in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
A higher prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUD) among psychiatric patients has been reported previously and the identification rate is relatively low. This study was designed to investigate the prevalence and identification of AUD among acute psychiatric inpatients with severe mental illness in a psychiatric hospital in Taiwan.


METHODS
In a two-phase case identification strategy, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used as the first phase screening tool and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR as the second phase diagnostic interview. The definition of identification was diagnosis of AUD on medical record at discharge.


RESULTS
Of 400 respondents, 42 screened positive and 358 screened negative. All screen-positive respondents and 35 screen-negative respondents entered the second phase interview. The weighted lifetime prevalence of alcohol dependence was 8.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.6-11.9%); alcohol abuse, 1.5% (95%CI: 0.2-2.8%); and AUD, 9.8% (95%CI: 5.7-13.8%). The overall identification rate of AUD by medical staff was 28.2% (0% for alcohol abuse and 33.3% for alcohol dependence). Patients with mood disorders were prone to being undetected as having AUD.


CONCLUSIONS
AUD comorbidity was common among inpatients with severe mental illness in Taiwan and was easily neglected by medical staff. It is necessary to use a validated screening questionnaire, such as AUDIT, to detect high-risk patients and then give appropriate interventions to enhance treatment outcome.
Huang
Ming-Chyi
MC
Department of Psychiatry, Taipei City Psychiatric Center, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yu
Chuan-Hsun
CH
Chen
Chun-Tse
CT
Chen
Chiao-Chicy
CC
Shen
Winston W
WW
Chen
Chun-Hsin
CH
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology