Citation

Oslin DW, O'Brien CP, Katz IR. Am. J. Addict. 1999; 8(2): 128-135.

Affiliation

Center for the Study of Addictions, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, USA. oslin@mail.med.upenn.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10365193

Abstract

Alcoholism and depression are two of the most common and disabling mental illnesses in late life. This study is a descriptive report of a sample of 49 adults who had recently been convicted of Driving Under the Influence of alcohol (DUI). A lifetime history of alcohol abuse or dependence was present in 48 subjects (98%), while a depressive disorder occurred in 24 (49%) of the subjects. Concurrent alcoholism and depression, present in 12 subjects (24.5%), produced greater self-reported disability compared to those subjects with alcoholism alone. One-year longitudinal follow-up was available on 31 subjects (63.3%). Over the course of one year, there were no changes in drinking behavior, depressive symptoms, or self-reported quality of life. These data support previous studies that suggest greater disability in patients with concurrent mental illnesses.