Journal of Education and Health Promotion 2277-9531 8 6 2018 06 01 Substance use among outdoor treatment‑seeking patients with mental illness: A case–control study from a tertiary care hospital of northern India 1 6 27871 EN . Mona Srivastava . Shobhit Jain . Ashok Patel Savitri Neuromind Care, Mahavir Nagar, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India Journal Article 2023 02 14 BACKGROUND: Substance abuse and mental disorder often coexist and may cause several<br />consequences in sociooccupational functioning and health care and management. Indian data are<br />sparse in this area.<br />OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to examine the sociodemographic profile, pattern, and<br />prevalence of alcohol and substance use among person suffering with mental illness and to compare<br />with those without mental illness.<br />METHODS: A total of 80 treatment‑seeking patients with mental illness and 80 nontreatment seeking<br />healthy accompanying persons were assessed for current substance use. Mental illness was screened<br />using Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‑IV Axis I Disorders and the diagnosis was made as per<br />DSM IV, semi‑structured sociodemographic pro forma was also applied. The data collected were<br />analyzed using the Chi‑square and Student’s t‑test.<br />RESULTS: Substance use was found 2.5 times higher among cases (56.2%) than controls (22.5%).<br />Substance‑using participants comprised mainly males belonging to rural residence. The substance<br />using cases were more unmarried, less educated, poorer economically, and more nuclear family<br />structures that substance‑using controls. When compared with non‑substance using cases, cases<br />with substance use had more males than females and lower education. Although both groups were<br />almost similar in term of marital status, family structure, residence, and socioeconomic status.<br />Among both groups, most common substance use was tobacco, followed by alcohol and cannabis.<br />Although all the substances were more prevalent among cases than controls. The prevalence of<br />any substance use was highest among cases with psychotic disorder (77.3%), followed by unipolar<br />depression (62.5%), bipolar affective disorder (41.7%), and anxiety disorders (21.4%). Tobacco and<br />cannabis use was most prevalent among cases suffering with psychotic disorders, whereas alcohol<br />use was most prevalent among cases suffering with unipolar depression.<br />CONCLUSIONS: Mentally ill individuals are vulnerable to develop substance use, thus they are doubly<br />jeopardized. The susceptibility of these individuals stem from lesser insight, need for stimulation, to<br />decrease the anhedonia induced by psychoactive medicines and poor awareness hence this group<br />of individuals has several health and social consequences; therefore, they require due attention.<br />A better care, support, and education are needed for substance using patients with mental illness<br />to improve their prognosis and also help in their appropriate rehabilitation.<br /><br /> https://jehp.mui.ac.ir/article_27871_7cefdcbff0ddf29c3bbaeec362015c30.pdf