Depression after alcohol treatment as a risk factor for relapse among male veterans

J Subst Abuse Treat. 2000 Oct;19(3):259-65. doi: 10.1016/s0740-5472(00)00107-0.

Abstract

We examined the association between relapse-to-drinking and depressive symptomatology measured during inpatient treatment for alcohol disorder and 3 months posttreatment. Data were obtained from 298 veterans who completed 21-day inpatient treatment. Follow-up interviews were conducted at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months posttreatment. We used multiple logistic regression to assess the association between relapse and baseline/3-month posttreatment measures of depression (Beck Depression Inventory; BDI), controlling for important covariates. Our results showed that (a) the mild-to-moderately symptomatic participants (BDI = 14-19) at 3 months posttreatment were on average 2.9 times more likely than the nondepressed to have relapsed across follow-ups, and (b) the severely symptomatic participants (BDI = 20+) at 3 months posttreatment were on average 4.9 times more likely to have relapsed across follow-ups. Other analyses revealed that those with persistent depressive symptomatology reported at both baseline and 3 months posttreatment did not experience worse outcomes that those who reported symptomatology at 3 months posttreatment alone.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alcoholism / psychology
  • Alcoholism / rehabilitation*
  • Comorbidity
  • Depressive Disorder / diagnosis
  • Depressive Disorder / psychology*
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Patient Admission
  • Recurrence
  • Risk Factors
  • Temperance / psychology
  • Veterans / psychology*