Problematic substance use, depressive symptoms, and gender in primary care

This study determined the frequency of problematic substance use and of cou nseling about drug and alcohol use among 867 women and 320 men who reported symptoms of depression in managed primary care clinics. Seventy-two (8.3 p ercent) of the women and 61 (19 percent) of the men reported hazardous drin king; 228 (26.3 percent) of the women and 94 (29.4 percent) of the men repo rted problematic drug use, including use of illicit drugs and misuse of pre scription drugs. Only 17 (13.9 percent) of the patients who reported hazard ous drinking and 18 (6.6 percent) of those who reported problematic drug us e received counseling about drug or alcohol use during their last primary c are visit. Men were significantly more likely than women to have received c ounseling about drug or alcohol use from their primary care practitioner.