title: One year follow-up of alcohol and illicit substance use in first-episode psychosis: does gender matter?
abstract: Longitudinal studies on first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients have shown a decrease of substance use disorders (SUDs) over the first years of illness, but there has been less focus on the gender aspect. The present study examines stability of alcohol and illicit substance use, with specific focus on gender, in a one year follow-up investigation of 154 FEP patients (91 men, 63 women) in Oslo, Norway, using criteria for DSM-IV substance use disorder diagnosis, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT). The results show that cannabis was the most frequently used illicit substance at both times. Significantly more men (34%) than women (13%) had a current illicit SUD at baseline. At follow-up, the rate of illicit SUDs was significantly reduced in men (18%) but not in women (11%). There were no significant gender differences in the rate of current alcohol use disorders (AUD) (men 14%; women 8%) at baseline, and no significant reduction in AUD in any of the genders at follow-up. At follow-up, total AUDIT and DUDIT scores were reduced in men only. In conclusion, the high and persistent rate of SUDs, particularly of cannabis, among men and women during the first year of treatment for psychosis should be addressed in the clinical management of the patients. Female FEP patients who are also substance users may be particularly vulnerable in this regard and warrant closer attention.
authors.affiliation: KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Psychiatry Section, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: elisabeth.lange@medisin.uio.no.
authors.forename: Elisabeth Heffermehl
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Division of Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Ragnar
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nesvåg
authors.affiliation: KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Psychiatry Section, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Petter Andreas
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ringen
authors.affiliation: KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Psychiatry Section, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychiatry, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Cecilie Bhandari
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Hartberg
authors.affiliation: KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Psychiatry Section, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Unn Kristin
authors.initials: UK
authors.lastname: Haukvik
authors.affiliation: KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Psychiatry Section, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Ole Andreas
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Andreassen
authors.affiliation: KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Psychiatry Section, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Melle
authors.affiliation: KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Psychiatry Section, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Agartz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013997:Time Factors