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The effect of depression on return to drinking: a prospective study
S F Greenfield1, R D Weiss, L R Muenz
1McLean Hospital Belmont, Mass 02178, USA.
Archives of General Psychiatry
|March 24, 1998
Summary
Major depression at treatment entry significantly increases the risk of returning to drinking for individuals with alcohol dependence. This effect was consistent across both sexes, challenging previous findings.
Area of Science:
- Addiction medicine
- Psychiatry
- Clinical psychology
Background:
- The relationship between depression and relapse in alcohol dependence is debated.
- Previous research suggests potential sex differences in this association.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of depression on return to drinking in individuals with alcohol dependence.
- To determine if this effect differs between men and women.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study with 101 participants (40 women, 61 men) hospitalized for alcohol dependence.
- Monthly follow-up for 1 year post-discharge using structured interviews.
- Survival analysis to assess the effect of major depression diagnosis and depressive symptoms on time to first drink and relapse.
Main Results:
- A diagnosis of current major depression at hospitalization predicted significantly shorter times to first drink (HR, 2.03) and relapse (HR, 2.12).
- No significant sex differences were observed in the effect of major depression on drinking outcomes.
- Depressive symptoms, measured by the Beck Depression Inventory, did not predict drinking outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Current major depression at inpatient treatment entry is a significant predictor of earlier return to drinking and relapse in alcohol-dependent individuals.
- The findings indicate that depression affects drinking outcomes similarly in both men and women, contradicting some prior research.