Comorbid affective disorders and personality traits in alcohol abuse inpatients at an Air Force Medical Center

A retrospective chart review of 2 years of admissions (1995- 1996) for alco hol abuse and alcohol dependence patients on an inpatient substance abuse u nit showed the prevalence of comorbid affective disorders, personality diso rders/subsyndromal personality traits, and the combination of all three dia gnoses to be 8.2, 17.5, and 9.6%, respectively. The available literature on these additional diagnoses in substance abusers is reviewed and compared w ith the findings of the current study. Patients identified for inpatient su bstance abuse treatment need full psychiatric evaluation for other Axis I a nd Axis II comorbidity that may greatly affect their treatment plans and cl inical prognoses.