title: Alcohol and substance use in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies have examined the prevalence of alcohol and drug use in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). The current study sought to examine the prevalence and associated demographic, disease-related, and psychological correlates of substance use in an East Coast United States outpatient MS sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  157 individuals with MS completed questionnaires prior to, during or after their visit with an MS neurologist. These questionnaires included: the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C), CAGE, CAGE-Adapted to Include Drugs (CAGE-AID), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 item (PHQ-9), Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety (HADS-A).
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the AUDIT-C, 40% of individuals with MS met or exceeded the cutoff for excessive alcohol use. They were more highly educated and younger than non-drinkers. Utilizing the CAGE, 6% of the sample met criteria for a lifetime history of excessive alcohol use and men endorsed higher rates of alcohol use than women. Only a small portion of the sample endorsed a history of drug use (CAGE-AID, 4%). Drug use was associated with greater disability and depression symptoms, but lower self-reported anxiety.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current alcohol use was prevalent in this sample, and excessive use was associated with men, younger age, and more education. Reported drug use was minimal and associated with greater disability, more self-reported depression, but fewer anxiety symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Box 359612, 325 9th Ave., Seattle, WA 98104, United States. Electronic address: beierm@uw.edu.
authors.forename: Meghan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beier
authors.affiliation: Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, NY 10468, United States; Multiple Sclerosis Center of Holy Name Medical Center, 718 Teaneck Rd., Teaneck, NJ 07666, United States.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: D'Orio
authors.affiliation: Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, NY 10468, United States; Multiple Sclerosis Center of Holy Name Medical Center, 718 Teaneck Rd., Teaneck, NJ 07666, United States.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Spat
authors.affiliation: Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, NY 10468, United States; Multiple Sclerosis Center of Holy Name Medical Center, 718 Teaneck Rd., Teaneck, NJ 07666, United States.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shuman
authors.affiliation: Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, 1300 Morris Park Ave., Bronx, NY 10468, United States; Multiple Sclerosis Center of Holy Name Medical Center, 718 Teaneck Rd., Teaneck, NJ 07666, United States.
authors.forename: Frederick W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Foley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Alcohol use; Anxiety; Depression; Disability; Drug abuse; Multiple sclerosis