ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE AND SIMULTANEOUS COCAINE AND ALCOHOL-USE IN COCAINE-DEPENDENT PATIENTS

Alcohol use and associated factors were studied in 124 consecutive coc aine-dependent admissions to an outpatient substance abuse clinic. Two analyses were conducted: First, those who did and did not meet criter ia for current alcohol dependence were compared on sociodemographic an d drug use characteristics. Second, patients who reported simultaneous cocaine and alcohol use on > 50% vs. less than or equal to 50% of the occasions that they used cocaine were compared using the same depende nt measures. Fifty-seven percent of patients met criteria for current alcohol dependence. Those with and without alcohol dependence did not differ on any sociodemographic characteristics, but those with depende nce scored higher on the alcohol and family subscales of the Addiction Severity Index, the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test, and measures of alcohol use, and were more likely to use cocaine and alcohol simult aneously, to use cocaine with friends and in social settings, and were more likely to report financial difficulties and unwanted sexual rela tions as adverse consequences of their cocaine use. Sixty-four percent of patients reported > 50% simultaneous cocaine and alcohol use. The two groups did not differ on any sociodemographic characteristics, but those reporting greater simultaneous use were more likely to be alcoh olic, scored higher on most measures of alcohol use, and were more lik ely to report using cocaine with friends and in social settings. The o nly other differences observed between the two groups were fewer repor ts of seizures or difficulty concentrating in the group reporting grea ter simultaneous use. The present results confirm prior reports on the widespread prevalence of alcohol dependence among cocaine-dependent p atients and extend them by providing new information on the prevalence and other characteristics of simultaneous cocaine and alcohol use.