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Illicit drug use in patients with psychotic disorders compared with that in the general population: a cross‐sectional study
Author(s) -
Ringen P. A.,
Melle I.,
Birkenæs A. B.,
Engh J. A.,
Færden A.,
Jónsdóttir H.,
Nesvåg R.,
Vaskinn A.,
Friis S.,
Larsen F.,
Opjordsmoen S.,
Sundet K.,
Andreassen O. A.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2007.01135.x
Subject(s) - illicit drug , cross sectional study , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , medicine , psychiatry , population , amphetamine , drug , psychosis , bipolar disorder , cocaine use , environmental health , cognition , pathology , dopamine
Objective: Prevalence estimates of illicit drug use in psychotic disorders vary between studies, and only a few studies compared prevalence estimates with those in the general population. Method: Cross‐sectional study comparing 148 stable‐phase patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder with 329 representative general citizens of Oslo. A total of 849 patients from the same hospital department in the same time period constituted a patient reference group. Results: Lifetime illicit drug use was 44% higher ( P < 0.001) in study patients than in the general population sample; while lifetime use of amphetamine/cocaine was 160% higher ( P < 0.001). No differences were found between user groups for sociodemographic characteristics. Conclusion: Patients with psychotic disorders in stable phase had a markedly higher lifetime use of any illicit substance, especially amphetamine/cocaine, than the general population. They also seemed to use drugs more periodically. The same sociodemographic characteristics were associated with increased illicit drug use in both groups.