SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND THE EARLY COURSE OF ILLNESS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA AND AFFECTIVE PSYCHOSIS

The relationship between a history of substance use disorder and the e arly course of psychotic illness was examined in 96 subjects with schi zophrenia and 106 subjects with affective psychosis followed in the Su ffolk County Mental Health Project, a longitudinal study of first-admi ssion psychosis, Subjects received a structured diagnostic interview a nd clinical ratings at baseline assessment and again 6 months later, T he 6-month assessment included information about treatment received du ring the interval, A lifetime history of substance use disorder was as sociated with worse clinical functioning at 6 months for schizophrenia subjects, but not for those with affective psychosis, There were no s ignificant associations of substance use disorder with type of treatme nt during the interval or with self-reported compliance with medicatio n, Schizophrenia subjects were more likely than subjects with affectiv e psychosis to report cannabis use during the interval and to meet cri teria for cannabis use disorder.