TY - JOUR
T1 - Alcohol and substance use in multiple sclerosis
AU - Beier, Meghan
AU - D'Orio, Vanessa
AU - Spat, Jessica
AU - Shuman, Melissa
AU - Foley, Frederick W.
N1 - Funding Information:
Source of support: There was no funding source, sponsor or grant for this research.
Copyright:
Copyright 2014 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2014/3/15
Y1 - 2014/3/15
N2 - Background Few studies have examined the prevalence of alcohol and drug use in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). The current study sought to examine the prevalence and associated demographic, disease-related, and psychological correlates of substance use in an East Coast United States outpatient MS sample. Methods 157 individuals with MS completed questionnaires prior to, during or after their visit with an MS neurologist. These questionnaires included: the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test - Consumption (AUDIT-C), CAGE, CAGE - Adapted to Include Drugs (CAGE-AID), Patient Health Questionnaire - 9 item (PHQ-9), Beck Depression Inventory - Second Edition (BDI-II) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale - Anxiety (HADS-A). Results On the AUDIT-C, 40% of individuals with MS met or exceeded the cutoff for excessive alcohol use. They were more highly educated and younger than non-drinkers. Utilizing the CAGE, 6% of the sample met criteria for a lifetime history of excessive alcohol use and men endorsed higher rates of alcohol use than women. Only a small portion of the sample endorsed a history of drug use (CAGE-AID, 4%). Drug use was associated with greater disability and depression symptoms, but lower self-reported anxiety. Conclusions Current alcohol use was prevalent in this sample, and excessive use was associated with men, younger age, and more education. Reported drug use was minimal and associated with greater disability, more self-reported depression, but fewer anxiety symptoms.
AB - Background Few studies have examined the prevalence of alcohol and drug use in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). The current study sought to examine the prevalence and associated demographic, disease-related, and psychological correlates of substance use in an East Coast United States outpatient MS sample. Methods 157 individuals with MS completed questionnaires prior to, during or after their visit with an MS neurologist. These questionnaires included: the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test - Consumption (AUDIT-C), CAGE, CAGE - Adapted to Include Drugs (CAGE-AID), Patient Health Questionnaire - 9 item (PHQ-9), Beck Depression Inventory - Second Edition (BDI-II) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale - Anxiety (HADS-A). Results On the AUDIT-C, 40% of individuals with MS met or exceeded the cutoff for excessive alcohol use. They were more highly educated and younger than non-drinkers. Utilizing the CAGE, 6% of the sample met criteria for a lifetime history of excessive alcohol use and men endorsed higher rates of alcohol use than women. Only a small portion of the sample endorsed a history of drug use (CAGE-AID, 4%). Drug use was associated with greater disability and depression symptoms, but lower self-reported anxiety. Conclusions Current alcohol use was prevalent in this sample, and excessive use was associated with men, younger age, and more education. Reported drug use was minimal and associated with greater disability, more self-reported depression, but fewer anxiety symptoms.
KW - Alcohol use
KW - Anxiety
KW - Depression
KW - Disability
KW - Drug abuse
KW - Multiple sclerosis
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jns.2013.12.029
DO - 10.1016/j.jns.2013.12.029
M3 - Article
C2 - 24411661
AN - SCOPUS:84896717408
SN - 0022-510X
VL - 338
SP - 122
EP - 127
JO - Journal of the Neurological Sciences
JF - Journal of the Neurological Sciences
IS - 1-2
ER -