Lifetime diagnosis of major depression as a multivariate predictor of treatment outcome for inpatients with substance use disorders from abstinence-based programs

A multisite, longitudinal study of patients undergoing inpatient alcohol and drug dependence treatment was conducted in private inpatient facilities, consisting of 4339 subjects from 38 independent programs enrolled in a national addiction treatment outcomes registry. Structured interviews were conducted upon admission, including documentation of current alcohol/drug disorder (DSM-III-R) and lifetime diagnosis of major depressive syndrome; structured interviews were conducted prospectively at 6- and 12-month follow-up periods. The prevalence rate of lifetime diagnosis of major depression in the sample was 39%. Comorbidity varied according to gender and substance of choice. Lifetime depressive symptoms did not correlate with differential length-of-stay, treatment completion, or follow-up consent and, at best, were very weakly associated with follow-up contact. Patients diagnosed with lifetime depression showed the same frequency of participation in posttreatment continuing care: they also showed statistically significant reductions in job absenteeism, inpatient hospitalizations, and arrest rates pre- vs. posttreatment comparable to those of patients without lifetime depression diagnosis. Lifetime major depressive syndrome was not a predictor of outcome in response to abstinence-based treatment. Involvement in posttreatment continuing care accounted for far greater outcome variance. Posttreatment vs. pretreatment factors may be more decisive in influencing risk for relapse.