Identifying patterns of co-occurring substance use disorders and mental illness in a jail population

Although the co-occurrence of mental health and substance use disorders (SUDs) is well documented among correctional populations, less explored are the actual patterns that exist between specific SUDs and additional mental health disorders in combination. This study examines prevalence and correlates of psychiatric comorbidity in incarcerated men who screened positive for a SUD and the ability of a practical structured interview to document diagnostic indications of SUDs and co-occurring disorders. Comprehensive Addictions and Psychological Evaluation (CAAPE) interview data from 176 substance-dependent male inmates incarcerated in a local jail facility were analyzed. The most common substance dependence diagnoses were for alcohol (81%) and cocaine (35%). Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was the most common co-occurring mental health condition (55%), followed by antisocial personality disorder and major depressive episodes (51% each). Patterns related to the presence of PTSD and major depressive episodes accounted for a vast majority of inmates with both two and three diagnostic indications. Cronbach's alphas for the individual CAAPE diagnostic subscales ranged from 0.74 to 0.97. The design and implementation of treatment programs for substance-dependent inmates must consider co-occurring mental health issues. Several of the diagnostic categories evinced a bimodal pattern of responses in terms of severity. Negative correlations among many of the SUDs suggest that those with a greater level of severity involving some substances are less likely to manifest dependence and high severity for other substances. The observed Cronbach's alphas for the various subscales demonstrated acceptable preliminary support for the use of the CAAPE as a practical instrument in indentifying co-occurring disorders in a jail setting.