Diagnosis and hospital readmission rates of female veterans with substance-related disorders
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The study examined the prevalence of substance use, psychiatric, and medical disorders in female veterans discharged from VA hospitals. METHODS: The VA discharge abstract database was used to identify women discharged in fiscal year 1991 who received a diagnosis of substance abuse or dependence or substance-induced psychosis (N = 1,698). They were compared with female veterans who did not receive a substance-related diagnosis (N = 12,037). RESULTS: Alcohol and cocaine use disorders were the most prevalent substance use disorders. Women with substance use disorders were more frequently diagnosed as having personality disorders, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder than women without substance use disorders. Skin and subcutaneous tissue diseases, infectious and parasitic diseases, and digestive diseases were more prevalent among women with substance use disorders than among women in the same age group who did not have substance use disorders. Approximately 44 percent of women with substance use disorders who were discharged during the first six months of fiscal year 1991 were rehospitalized within that year. CONCLUSIONS: Substance use disorders and associated comorbidities are endemic among women treated in VA hospitals. Additional studies examining characteristics of indigent women with substance use disorders are needed.
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).
