Gender differences in the relationship between depressive symptoms and cravings in alcoholism.
This study examines the clinical correlates of alcohol craving in men and women self-referred for addiction treatment. Admission clinical data from patients participating in the Mayo Clinic 1-month Intensive Addictions Program were evaluated. Women had higher BDI and PACS scores compared with men in both the entire cohort and Dual Diagnoses group. Alcohol-dependent females had the most marked correlation between BDI and PACS (rho= .78). Further prospective study is encouraged to evaluate whether depressive symptoms and concomitant alcohol cravings in women are a marker for relief cravings and, as such, a target symptom for treatment intervention.
Boykoff
Nelli
N
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. mfrye@mayo.edu
Schneekloth
Terry D
TD
Hall-Flavin
Daniel
D
Loukianova
Larissa
L
Karpyak
Victor M
VM
Stevens
Susanna R
SR
Biernacka
Joanna M
JM
Mrazek
David A
DA
Frye
Mark A
MA
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry) / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012727:Sex Characteristics