Drug-abusing offenders with co-morbid mental disorders:gender differences in problem severity, treatment participation, and recidivism

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 33-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Du ◽  
M. Zhao ◽  
Y.-I. Hser

IntroductionIndividuals with co-occurring disorders have higher levels of psychological distress and poorer psychosocial functioning, as compared with individuals with substance dependence only. Studies identified substance abuse as a risk factor, which increases the likelihood that an individual with mental disorders may become violent.ObjectivesTo examine the gender differences in drug-related problems and predictors of recidivism among a sample of 1,444 offenders with co-morbid drug abuse and mental disorders participating in California's Proposition 36.MethodsCharacteristics and problem severity in multiple key life areas were assessed at intake using Addiction Severity Index, and drug treatment participation, mental health diagnoses and arrests were based on official records.ResultsWomen demonstrated greater problem severity than men in family relationships, health, psychological health, and sexual and physical abuse history. Men on the other hand had greater criminal history, high rates of attention disorder, and psychotic disorder. Logistic regression analyses showing that for the combined sample, male, young age, cocaine use (relative to methamphetamine), drug abuse severity, methadone treatment, arrest history and fewer prior treatment history were associated with higher recidivism at 12-month follow-up; lower education, cocaine use, and arrest history were related to women's recidivism, while young age, outpatient treatment, and arrest history were predictors of men's recidivism.ConclusionsAlthough the specific type of mental disorder did not seem to be predictive of recidivism, the high rates of mental health disorder and arrest of this population is problematic. Intervention strategies taking into consideration gender-specific problems and needs can improve outcomes for both.

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (Supplement_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
VA Semyonova ◽  
TP Sabgayda ◽  
AV Zubko ◽  
AE Ivanova ◽  
GN Evdokushkina

Abstract   During the pandemic, deaths associated with mental health deterioration due to social stress have contributed to excess mortality. The purpose of the study is to evaluate changes in mortality from causes associated with social stress during the pandemic in Moscow. The analysis is based on the Rosstat statistics and RFS-EMIAS database (Medical death certificates issued by the Moscow health institutions) in 2019-2020. Deaths from mental disorders and suicides during the maximum and minimum excess mortality in Moscow in 2020 were compared to 2019 (May and December, when mortality exceeded the 2019 indicators by 57.2% and 56.7%, and July with the 7.1%) excess. First, the excess mortality from mental disorders in these months was almost entirely due to disorders related to alcohol and drug abuse. Second, alcohol and drug abuse also results in deaths from poisoning. This necessitates a joint evaluation of deaths associated with alcohol and drugs (from mental disorders and poisoning). The evaluation shows that excess deaths from alcohol abuse in men in May 2020 compared to May 2019 equaled to 65%, falling down to 52.3% in July, followed by its maximum (2.5-fold) in December. Females show a steady increase: 52.9%, 76.5% and 2.1-fold, respectively. Distribution by sex of the total deaths associated with drug addiction (mental disorders and poisoning) was reversed: a steady increase in males (55.4% in May, 67% in July and 2.1-fold in December) and a significant decrease in females: 63.6%, 31.6% and 2.7-fold, respectively. Third, the pandemic has paradoxically affected deaths from suicide (including hangings, falls and undetermined intent poisoning). In men, excess deaths equaled to zero in May, 1.2% in July and decreased by 20.6% in December. The female excess suicidal mortality increased: 13.5%, 30.6% and 36.7%, respectively. Thus, the male reaction to social stress caused by the pandemic was passive (alcohol and drug abuse), while the female reaction was aggravated by suicides. Key messages During the pandemic, deaths associated with mental health deterioration due to social stress contributed to excess mortality. Alcohol and drug abuse results in deaths not only due to mental disorders.


2008 ◽  
Vol 53 (12) ◽  
pp. 800-809 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Rush ◽  
Karen Urbanoski ◽  
Diego Bassani ◽  
Saulo Castel ◽  
T Cameron Wild ◽  
...  

Objective: Population health surveys around the world have studied the epidemiology of comorbid substance use disorders (SUDs) and other mental disorders as part of larger efforts to assess needs and direct integrated planning and delivery of services. This study presents the first national assessment in Canada of the prevalence of co-occurring SUDs and other mental disorders, with attention to differences by substance problem severity, sex, age, and region. Methods: This work is a secondary analysis of data from the 2002 Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Health and Well-Being. The sample was obtained using a multistage stratified cluster design ( n = 36 984, response rate = 77%). Results: The 12-month population prevalence of co-occurring disorders was 1.7%. The 12-month prevalence of other mental disorders was higher among those with illicit drug, relative to alcohol, problems and among those with dependence, compared with those with less severe problems. Sex and age differences mirrored population differences in pure disorders. Salient regional differences included the higher rate of co-occurring disorders in British Columbia and the lower rates in Quebec. Conclusions: Cross-study comparisons are hampered by methodological differences; however, these Canadian rates are at the lower end of the range reported internationally. This might have resulted from the exclusion of several disorders known to be highly comorbid with SUDs. Nonetheless, prevalence is high in certain subgroups, and efforts under way to improve Canada's substance abuse and mental health services should continue to ensure that adequate attention is directed to the needs of people with co-occurring disorders.


2009 ◽  
Vol 06 (01) ◽  
pp. 5-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Aguilar-Gaxiola ◽  
J. Alonso ◽  
S. Chatterji ◽  
S. Lee ◽  
T. B. Üstün ◽  
...  

SummaryThe paper presents an overview of the WHO World Mental Health (WMH) Survey Initiative and summarizes recent WMH results regarding the prevalence and societal costs of mental disorders. The WMH surveys are representative community surveys that were carried out in 28 countries throughout the world aimed at providing information to mental health policy makers about the prevalence, burden, and unmet need for treatment of common mental disorders. Results show that mental disorders are commonly occurring in all participating countries. The inter-quartile range (IQR: 25th-75th percentiles) of lifetime DSM-IV disorder prevalence estimates (combining anxiety, mood, disruptive behavior, and substance disorders) is 18.1-36.1%. The IQR of 12-month prevalence estimates is 9.8-19.1%. Analysis of age-of-onset reports shows that many mental disorders begin in childhood-adolescence and have significant adverse effects on subsequent role transitions. Adult mental disorders are found in the WMH data to be associated with high levels of role impairment. Despite this burden, the majority of mental disorders go untreated. Although these results suggest that expansion of treatment could be cost-effective from both the employer perspective and the societal perspective, treatment effectiveness trials are needed to confirm this suspicion. The WMH results regarding impairments are being used to target several such interventions.


2010 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 148-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Caron ◽  
A. Liu

Objective This descriptive study compares rates of high psychological distress and mental disorders between low-income and non-low-income populations in Canada. Methods Data were collected through the Canadian Community Health Survey – Mental Health and Well-being (CCHS 1.2), which surveyed 36 984 Canadians aged 15 or over; 17.9% (n = 6620) was classified within the low-income population using the Low Income Measure. The K-10 was used to measure psychological distress and the CIDI for assessing mental disorders. Results One out of 5 Canadians reported high psychological distress, and 1 out of 10 reported at least one of the five mental disorders surveyed or substance abuse. Women, single, separated or divorced respondents, non-immigrants and Aboriginal Canadians were more likely to report suffering from psychological distress or from mental disorders and substance abuse. Rates of reported psychological distress and of mental disorders and substance abuse were much higher in low-income populations, and these differences were statistically consistent in most of the sociodemographic strata. Conclusion This study helps determine the vulnerable groups in mental health for which prevention and promotion programs could be designed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eirenei Taua'i ◽  
Rose Richards ◽  
Jesse Kokaua

Aims: To explore associations between experiences of mental illness, migration status and languages spoken among Pacific adults living in NZ. Methods: SURVEY FREQ and SURVEY LOGISTIC procedures in SAS were applied to data from Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand (NZ) Mental Health Survey, a survey of 12,992 New Zealand adults aged 16 and over in 2003/2004. Pacific people were over sampled and this paper focuses on the 2374 Pacific participants but includes, for comparison, 8160 non-Maori-non-Pacific (NMNP) participants. Results: Pacific migrant respondents had the lowest prevalence of mental disorders compared to other Pacific peoples. However, Pacific immigrants were also less likely to use mental health services, suggesting an increased likelihood of experiencing barriers to available mental health care. Those who were born in NZ and who were proficient in a Pacific language had the lowest levels of common mental disorders, suggesting a protective effect for the NZ-born population. Additionally, access to mental health services was similar between NZ-born people who spoke a Pacific language and those who did not. Conclusions: We conclude that, given the association between Pacific language and reduced mental disorder, there may be a positive role for Pacific language promotion in efforts to reduce the prevalence of mental health disorder among Pacific communities in NZ.


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