Hazardous drinking among young adults seeking outpatient mental health services.

Anna E Ordóñez,Carol A Mathews,Derek D Satre,Rachel Ranney,Maxine Schwartz

doi:10.1186/s13722-016-0060-y

Abstract

BackgroundAlcohol use can have a significant negative impact on young adults in mental health treatment. This cross-sectional study examined prevalence and factors associated with hazardous drinking among young adults seeking outpatient mental health services, rate of alcohol use disorders (AUDs), and the relationship between hazardous drinking and other types of substance use.MethodsParticipants were 487 young adults ages 18–25 who completed self-administered computerized screening questions for alcohol and drug use. Alcohol use patterns were assessed and predictors of hazardous drinking (≥5 drinks on one or more occasions in the past year) were identified using logistic regression.ResultsOf the 487 participants, 79.8 % endorsed prior-year alcohol use, 52.3 % reported one or more episodes of hazardous drinking in the prior year and 8.2 % were diagnosed with an AUD. Rates of recent and lifetime alcohol, tobacco and marijuana use were significantly greater in those with prior-year hazardous drinking. In logistic regression, prior-year hazardous drinking was associated with lifetime marijuana use (OR 3.30, p < 0.001; 95 % CI 2.05, 5.28), lifetime tobacco use (OR 1.88, p = 0.004; 95 % CI 1.22, 2.90) and older age (OR 1.18 per year, p < 0.001; 95 % CI 1.08, 1.29).ConclusionsIn an outpatient mental health setting, high rates of hazardous drinking were identified, and drinking was associated with history of other substance use. Results highlight patient characteristics associated with hazardous drinking that mental health providers should be aware of in treating young adults, especially older age and greater use of tobacco and marijuana.

Highlights

Alcohol use can have a significant negative impact on young adults in mental health treatment
This study evaluated self-reported alcohol use patterns and the association between prior-year hazardous drinking and potentially relevant patient characteristics, including gender, age, clinician-assigned psychiatric diagnosis, and other substance use in a sample of young adults presenting for initial mental health treatment
Lifetime alcohol use was endorsed by 85.4 % of the sample, prior year alcohol use was endorsed by 79.8 %, and 52.3 % reported prior year hazardous drinking

Summary

Introduction

Alcohol use can have a significant negative impact on young adults in mental health treatment. Hazardous drinking and mental illness all peak in prevalence in early adulthood, yet few young adults receive appropriate services. While many individuals with anxiety disorders use alcohol for short-term symptom relief, drinking can make anxiety more severe [2, 4]. These associations highlight the need to assess alcohol and drug use patterns among young adults with mental health problems, in order to understand potential symptom exacerbation and Ordóñez et al Addict Sci Clin Pract (2016) 11:12 medication interaction risks. Assessment could help to identify which individuals may benefit from psychiatry-based brief interventions to reduce harmful drinking patterns, and who should be referred to specialty care addiction treatment

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Discussion

Conclusion