Alcohol- and drug-use disorders in australia: implications of the nationalsurvey of mental health and wellbeing

Objective: This study reports the prevalence and correlates of ICD-10 alcoh ol- and drug-use disorders in the National Survey of Mental Health and Well being (NSMHWB) and discusses their implications for treatment. Method: The NSMHWB was a nationally representative household survey of 10 6 41 Australian adults that assessed participants for symptoms of the most pr evalent ICD-10 and DSM-IV mental disorders, including alcohol- and drug-use disorders. Results: In the past 12 months 6.5% of Australian adults met criteria for a n ICD-10 alcohol-use disorder and 2.2% had another ICD-10 drug-use disorder . Men were at higher risk than women of developing alcohol- and drug-use di sorders and the prevalence of both disorders decreased with increasing age. There were high rates of comorbidity between alcohol- and other drug-use d isorders and mental disorders and low rates of treatment seeking. Conclusions: Alcohol-use disorders are a major mental health and public hea lth issue in Australia. Drug-use disorders are less common than alcohol-use disorders, but still affect a substantial minority of Australian adults. T reatment seeking among persons with alcohol- and other drug-use disorders i s low. A range of public health strategies (including improved specialist t reatment services) are needed to reduce the prevalence of these disorders.