Predicting substance abuse and comorbidity in rural women

Substance abuse in women is underdiagnosed. Moreover, women are more likely to have a primary comorbid psychiatric disorder that complicates diagnosis and treatment. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors that would predict substance abuse and primary comorbid psychiatric disorders in rural women. Discriminant function analysis identified 2 factors, alcohol beliefs and threats of minor violence, which correctly identified substance abusing women from nonsubstance abusing women, and women with nonsubstance use psychiatric disorders from those with no psychiatric disorder. These 2 functions correctly classified 69% of women in the study. Psychiatric diagnoses and nursing implications are discussed.