J Korean Med Sci.  2002 Apr;17(2):236-241. 10.3346/jkms.2002.17.2.236.

Comorbid Mental Disorders Among the Patients with Alcohol Abuse and Dependence in Korea

• Cho MJ
• Hahm BJ
• Suh T
• Suh GH
• Cho SJ
• Lee CK

• KMID: 648683
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2002.17.2.236

Abstract

This study investigated the patterns of alcohol disorder comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders, using Korean nationwide epidemiological data. By two-stage cluster sampling, 5,176 adult household residents of Korea were interviewed using the Korean version of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. Psychiatric disorders strongly associated with alcohol disorders were, other drug abuse or dependence, major depression, simple phobia, antisocial personality disorder, tobacco dependence, and pathological gambling. Male alcoholics had a tendency to begin with tobacco dependence, and some male pathological gamblers first had alcohol disorders. The presence of comorbid psychiatric disorders was associated with a more severe form and the later onset of alcohol disorders, and associated with help-seeking for alcohol abuse/dependence.

Keyword

Alcoholism; Comorbidity; Mental Disorders; Epidemiology

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Age of Onset
Aged
Alcohol-Induced Disorders/*epidemiology/physiopathology/psychology
Alcoholism/*epidemiology/physiopathology/psychology
Cluster Analysis
Comorbidity
Female
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Male
Mental Disorders/*epidemiology/physiopathology
Middle Aged
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
Time Factors