title: The relationship between methamphetamine and alcohol use in a community sample of methamphetamine users.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While methamphetamine (MA) and alcohol are often used in combination, little is known about the pattern of co-use between these substances. The goal of the present study is to examine the relationship between MA use and alcohol use in a community sample of non-treatment seeking regular MA users.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants completed a face-to-face assessment battery, which included a diagnostic interview for MA dependence and the timeline follow-back interview for both alcohol and MA use over the past 30 days. Sixty regular MA and alcohol users supplied data for 1800 person-days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with non-drinking days, drinking days and binge drinking days increased the odds of same day MA use by 4.22 and 4.50 times, respectively (p's<0.0001). Further, binge drinking incrementally increased risk for MA use above and beyond the effects of drinking itself (p<0.0001). Lagged models revealed previous day MA use to predict following day MA use (p<0.0001), yet, after controlling for this relationship, neither previous day alcohol use nor previous day binge drinking predicted following-day MA use. Finally, the effect of binge drinking on MA use was stronger among individuals with lower MA dependence severity or higher alcohol problem severity (p's<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that alcohol and MA are co-used in predictable patterns, and in particular, that binge drinking may be incrementally associated with the likelihood of MA use. Future studies are needed to explore the temporal relationship between alcohol and MA use within a given episode.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors: Spencer
authors: S
authors: Bujarski
authors: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors: Daniel J O
authors: DJ
authors: Roche
authors: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors: Katy
authors: K
authors: Lunny
authors: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors: Nathasha R
authors: NR
authors: Moallem
authors: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors: Kelly E
authors: KE
authors: Courtney
authors: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors: Vincent
authors: V
authors: Allen
authors: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors: Emily
authors: E
authors: Hartwell
authors: Department of Preventive Medicine and Psychology, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors: Adam
authors: A
authors: Leventhal
authors: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors: Taylor
authors: T
authors: Rohrbaugh
authors: Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: lararay@psych.ucla.edu.
authors: Lara A
authors: LA
authors: Ray
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D063425:Binge Drinking / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D055030:Drug Users / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D008694:Methamphetamine
keywords: Alcohol; Co-use; Methamphetamine