Rd. Walker et al., DIAGNOSIS AND HOSPITAL READMISSION RATES OF FEMALE VETERANS WITH SUBSTANCE RELATED DISORDERS, Psychiatric services, 46(9), 1995, pp. 932-937
Objectives: The study examined the prevalence of substance use, psychi
atric, and medical disorders in female veterans discharged from VA hos
pitals. Methods: The VA discharge abstract database was used to identi
fy women discharged in fiscal year 1991 who received a diagnosis of su
bstance abuse or dependence or substance-induced psychosis (N=1,698).
They were compared with female veterans who did not receive a substanc
e-related diagnosis (N=12,037). Results: Alcohol and cocaine use disor
ders were the most prevalent substance use disorders. Women with subst
ance use disorders were more frequently diagnosed as having personalit
y disorders, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder than women
without substance use disorders. Skin and subcutaneous tissue diseases
, infectious and parasitic diseases, and digestive diseases were more
prevalent among women with substance use disorders than among women in
the same age group who did not have substance use disorders. Approxim
ately 44 percent of women with substance use disorders who were discha
rged during the first six months of fiscal year 1991 were rehospitaliz
ed within that year. Conclusions: Substance use disorders and associat
ed comorbidities are endemic among women treated in VA hospitals. Addi
tional studies examining characteristics of indigent women with substa
nce use disorders are needed