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Familial factors associated with development of alcohol and mental health comorbidity
Author(s) -
Salom Caroline L.,
Williams Gail M.,
Najman Jake M.,
Alati Rosa
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0965-2140
DOI - 10.1111/add.12722
Subject(s) - mental health , comorbidity , odds ratio , offspring , psychiatry , alcohol use disorder , medicine , national comorbidity survey , pregnancy , confidence interval , psychology , alcohol , biochemistry , chemistry , biology , genetics
Background and Aims Co‐occurring mental health and alcohol problems appear to be associated with greater health burdens than either single disorder. This study compares familial and individual contributions to development of comorbid alcohol/mental problems and tests whether these differ from single disorders. Design Women ( n = 6703) were recruited during pregnancy to the longitudinal M ater‐ U niversity of Q ueensland S tudy of P regnancy ( MUSP ). Mother/offspring dyads were followed over 21 years. Setting M ater‐ M isericordiae P ublic H ospital, B risbane, A ustralia. Participants Primary offspring from the MUSP with full psychiatric information at 21 years and maternal information at age 14 ( n = 1755). Measurements Structured interviews at age 21 yielded a four‐category outcome using mental health and alcohol modules of the C omposite I nternational D iagnostic I nterview (no disorder, alcohol only, mental health only and comorbid alcohol/mental health). Multinomial logistic regression models were adjusted for gender, maternal mental health and substance use, family environment and adolescent behaviour. Findings Maternal smoking [odds ratio ( OR ) = 1.56; 95% confidence interval ( CI ) = 1.09–2.22 versus no‐disorder] and low mother–offspring warmth ( OR = 3.19; 95% CI = 1.99–5.13) were associated with mental health/alcohol comorbidity in young adults, as were adolescent drinking ( OR = 2.22; 95% CI = 1.25–3.96), smoking ( OR = 2.24; 95% CI = 1.33–3.77) and attention/thought problems ( OR = 2.04; 95% CI = 1.18–3.52). Some differences were seen from single disorders. In a subsample with paternal data, fathers' drinking problems ( OR = 2.41; 95% CI = 1.10–5.29) were more associated strongly with offspring mental health/alcohol comorbidity than both single disorders ( P < 0.05). Conclusions Maternal smoking and low mother–child warmth appear to be related to alcohol, mental health and comorbid disorders at age 21, possibly via constituent alcohol and mental health disorders. Adolescent drinking and attention/thought problems appear to be associated with comorbid disorders but not with individual alcohol and mental health disorders.