Journal
JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS
Volume 131, Issue 1-3, Pages 233-242Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2010.12.014
Keywords
Alcohol abuse; Alcohol dependence; Anxiety disorder; Depressive disorder; Comorbidity; Risk-indicators
Categories
Funding
- Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (Zon-Mw) [10-000-1002]
- VU University Medical Center
- GGZ inGeest
- Arkin
- Leiden University Medical Center
- GGZ Rivierduinen
- University Medical Center Groningen
- Lentis
- GGZ Friesland
- GGZ Drenthe
- Scientific Institute for Quality of Health Care (IQ Healthcare)
- Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL)
- Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction (Trimbos)
- Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development [31160004]
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Introduction: This study examines comorbidity of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence as well as its risk indicators among anxious and/or depressed persons, also considering temporal sequencing of disorders. Methods: Baseline data from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA) were used, including 2329 persons with lifetime DSM-IV anxiety (social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and agoraphobia) and/or depressive (major depressive disorder and dysthymia) disorders and 652 controls. Lifetime diagnoses of DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence were established, as well as information about socio-demographic, vulnerability, addiction-related and anxiety/depression-related characteristics. Temporal sequencing of disorders was established retrospectively, using age of onset. Results: Of persons with combined anxiety/depression 20.3% showed alcohol dependence versus 5.5% of controls. Prevalence of alcohol abuse was similar across groups (+/- 12%). Independent risk indicators for alcohol dependence among anxious and/or depressed persons were male gender, vulnerability factors (family history of alcohol dependence, family history of anxiety/depression, openness to experience, low conscientiousness, being single, and childhood trauma), addiction-related factors (smoking and illicit drug use) and early anxiety/depression onset. Persons with secondary alcohol dependence were more neurotic, more often single and lonelier, while persons with primary alcohol dependence were more often male and more extravert. Discussion: Alcohol dependence, but not abuse, is more prevalent in anxious and/or depressed persons. Persons with comorbid alcohol dependence constitute a distinct subgroup of anxious and/or depressed persons, characterized by addiction-related habits and vulnerability. However, considerable variation in characteristics exists depending on temporal sequencing of disorders. This knowledge may improve identification and treatment of those anxious and/or depressed patients who are additionally suffering from alcohol dependence. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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