Psychiatric Comorbidity of Alcohol Dependent Patients Admitting in Chiang Mai Drug Dependence Treatment Center

Abstract

Abstract
Objective: To examine the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity in alcohol dependent patients.
Method: Of 120 alcohol dependent subjects who recovered at least 1 week from detoxification program admission at Chiang Mai Drug Dependence Treatment Center during May to July 2006
were recruited. The Mini international neuropsychiatric structure interview: M.I.N.I - Thai Version 5.0.0 was using for psychiatric diagnosis by trained interviewers. Data analysis used descriptive
statistic e.g. mean, SD, percentage.
Results: The prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity in alcohol dependent patients was 60%. The first 5 ranked of psychiatric comorbidity were lifetime psychotic disorder, lifetime suicidality,
lifetime manic episode, current major depressive, current generalized anxiety disorder and lifetime antisocial personality disorder, 27.5%, 18.3%, 15.8%, 15.0%, 7.5% and 7.5%,
respectively. Most current psychiatric comorbidity were major depressive disorder, suicidality and psychotic disorder (9.2% equally). The follow-up study of the alcohol-dependent sample
showed that there is a significant statistical difference in alcohol abstinence rate between those with psychiatric comorbidity and those with non-psychiatric comorbidity (respectively 0.04 after
1 month, 0.02 after 3 months and 0.005 after 6 months of treatment).
Conclusion: Psychiatric comorbidity is common among alcohol dependent who seeking inpatient treatment at Chiang Mai Drug Dependence Treatment Center. Therefore, the drug
dependence treatment center should recognize the psychiatric comorbidity in alcohol dependent patients. The alcohol management system should include the psychiatric screening and
diagnose and the effective psychiatric management procedures to improve the alcohol treatment
outcomes.