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Citation
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Maynié-François C, Cheng DM, Samet JH, Lloyd-Travaglini C, Palfai T, Bernstein J, Saitz R. Subst. Abuse 2016; 38(3): 303-308. |
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Affiliation
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Department of Community Health Sciences , Boston University School of Public Health , Boston , Massachusetts , USA. |
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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: Unhealthy alcohol use (UAU) is common among people who use other drugs, however little information is available about UAU among patients who screen positive for drugs in primary care, where the clinical priority might be assumed to be drug use. We aimed at describing the occurrence of UAU and its association with substance use-related outcomes in such patients.
METHODS: This cohort study is a secondary analysis of data from a randomized trial of brief intervention for primary care patients screening positive for drug use. UAU was assessed at baseline; the main independent variable was any heavy drinking day in the past month. Outcomes including drug use characteristics and substance use-related consequences were assessed at baseline and six months later.
RESULTS: Of 589 primary care patients with drug use, 48% had at least one past month heavy drinking day. The self-identified main drug was marijuana for 64%, cocaine for 18%, and an opioid for 16%. Any heavy drinking at baseline was negatively associated with number of days use of the main drug at six months (IRR 0.75, 95% CI: 0.62-0.91), but positively associated with the use of more than 1 drug (IRR 1.73, 95% CI: 1.17-2.55) and unsafe sex (OR 1.90, 95% CI: 1.21-2.98).
CONCLUSION: Unhealthy alcohol use is common among patients identified by screening in primary care as using other drugs. Unexpectedly, UAU was negatively associated with days of main drug use. But as expected, it was positively associated with other drug use characteristics and substance use-related consequences. These findings suggest attention should be given to alcohol use among primary care patients who use other drugs.
Language: en |