Dual diagnosis in an inpatient drug-abuse detoxification unit

In Spain, detoxification in general hospitals plays an important role in the medical care of patients. We aim to provide clinicians with information on the prevalence and correlates of psychiatric co-morbidity in drug abusers in detoxification. A sample of 115 substance-abuse inpatients (mean age 31.9 +/- 6.4 years) in a Detoxification Unit of a general university hospital was studied using the Spanish version of the PRISM. Most of the patients had multiple dependence diagnoses and co-morbid axis I or axis II psychiatric disorders. Patients with dual diagnosis showed lower psychosocial functioning than patients without co-morbidity and more dependence diagnoses due to cannabis and sedatives. A total of 80% of the patients successfully completed the detoxification process. The present results enhance the value of detoxification in a general hospital as a first step of the overall treatment strategy.