Depression syndromes with risk of alcohol dependence in adulthood: a latent class analysis

Using prospectively gathered data, we assessed whether depression is associated a risk for late-onset alcohol dependence, and whether that relationship differed by gender. The baseline interview was completed in 1981 (mean age = 41.7 years, standard deviation (S.D.) = 17.0, range 18-86) on a probability sample of Baltimore residents as part of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area Program. Between 1993 and 1996, the original cohort was traced (73% of the survivors were re-interviewed, n = 1920). Baseline depression items were subjected to gender-specific latent class analyses prior to exploring associations between class membership and two classifications of alcohol dependence: (1) lifetime prevalence, and (2) new onset assessed at follow-up. A depression syndrome class was identified (24% of the females and 20% of the males). The odds of lifetime alcohol dependence among those in the depressive syndrome class was significantly elevated for both sexes, relative to the non-depressed class. However, no appreciable association was found for depressive syndrome with the development of alcohol dependence. In this sample of middle-aged adults, the evidence supports an association for the presence of a depressive syndrome with lifetime alcohol dependence, but not for the new onset of alcohol dependence. Other predictors of alcohol dependence identified in the analyses are discussed. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.