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Illicit drug use in patients with psychotic disorders compared with that in the general population: a cross-sectional study.

Ringen PA, Melle I, Birkenaes AB, Engh JA, Faerden A, Jónsdóttir H, Nesvåg R, Vaskinn A, Friis S, Larsen F, Opjordsmoen S, Sundet K, Andreassen OA

Institute of Psychiatry, University of Oslo, N-0317 Oslo, Norway, and Division of Psychiatry, Ulleval University Hospital, N-0407 Oslo, Norway. p.a.ringen@medisin.uio.no

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.

Published 17 January 2008 in Acta Psychiatr Scand, 117(2): 133-8.
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