Prevalence of psychiatric disorders among persons convicted of driving while

Background: Large numbers of convicted drunk drivers are entering alcohol t reatment programs, yet little information is available about their need for psychiatric treatment, This study of convicted drunk drivers estimates lif etime and 12-month prevalence of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders (alcohol a nd drug abuse and dependence, major depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder , generalized anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and antisoci al personality disorder) and compares rates with estimates from a US popula tion-based survey. Methods: Six hundred twelve women and 493 men, aged 23 to 54 years, convict ed of driving while impaired, who had been referred to a screening program in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, were located and interviewed using the Di agnostic Interview Schedule between January 25, 1994, and June 30, 1997. ps ychiatric diagnoses were compared with findings from the National Comorbidi ty Survey for the western region of the United States, conducted between Se ptember 14,1990, and February 6,1992. Results: Eighty-five percent of female and 91% of male offenders reported a lifetime alcohol-use disorder, compared with 22% and 44%, respectively, in the National Comorbidity Survey sample. Thirty-two percent of female and 3 8% of male offenders had a drug-use disorder, compared with 16% and 21%, re spectively, in the National Comorbidity Survey sample. For offenders with a lcohol-use disorders, 50% of women and 33% of men had at least 1 additional psychiatric disorder other than drug abuse or dependence, mainly posttraum atic stress disorder or major depression. Conclusion: Drunk-driving offenders need assessment and treatment services not only for alcohol problems but also for drug use and the other psychiatr ic disorders that commonly accompany alcohol-related problems.