Alcohol, cannabis and tobacco use among Australians: a comparison of their associations with other drug use and use disorders, affective and anxiety disorders, and psychosis

Degenhardt, Louisa, Hall, Wayne and Lynskey, Michael (2001) Alcohol, cannabis and tobacco use among Australians: a comparison of their associations with other drug use and use disorders, affective and anxiety disorders, and psychosis. Addiction, 96 11: 1603-1614.


Author Degenhardt, Louisa
Hall, Wayne
Lynskey, Michael
Title Alcohol, cannabis and tobacco use among Australians: a comparison of their associations with other drug use and use disorders, affective and anxiety disorders, and psychosis
Journal name Addiction   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2001-11
Sub-type Article
DOI 10.1046/j.1360-0443.2001.961116037.x
Volume number 96
Issue number 11
ISSN 1360-0443
0965-2140
Start page 1603
End page 1614
Total pages 12
Place of publication Abingdon, England
Publisher Blackwell
Language eng
Subject 11 Medical and Health Sciences
1117 Public Health and Health Services
Formatted abstract Aim.
To compare relationships between alcohol, cannabis and tobacco and indicators of mental health problems in the general population.

Method.
A survey of a nationally representative sample of 10 641 Australian adults (the National Survey of Mental Health and Well-Being (NSMHWB)) provided data on alcohol, cannabis and tobacco use and mental health (DSM-IV anxiety disorders, affective disorders, other substance use disorders and screening positively for psychosis).

Findings.
Alcohol showed a "J-shaped" relationship with DSM-IV affective and anxiety disorders: alcohol users had lower rates of these problems than non-users of alcohol, while those meeting criteria for alcohol dependence had the highest rates. Tobacco and cannabis use were both associated with increased rates of all mental health problems examined. However, after controlling for demographics, neuroticism and other drug use, cannabis was not associated with anxiety or affective disorders. Alcohol dependence and tobacco use remained associated with both of these indicators of mental health. All three types of drug use were associated with higher rates of other substance use problems, with cannabis having the strongest association.

Conclusions.
The use of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis are associated with different patterns of co-morbidity in the general population.
Keyword Substance Abuse
Psychiatry
National Comorbidity Survey
Substance Use Disorders
Population-based Sample
Major Depression
Risk-factors
Psychiatric-disorders
Nicotine Dependence
Mental-disorders
Young-adults
Female Twins
Q-Index Code C1
Q-Index Status Provisional Code
Institutional Status Unknown

Document type: Journal Article
Sub-type: Article
Collection: School of Population Health Publications
 
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Created: Mon, 13 Aug 2007, 12:38:14 EST