Trends and Disparities in Unmet Treatment Needs for Co-Occurring Depression and Alcohol Use Disorders Among Young Adults in the US

Major depressive episode (MDE) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) often co-occur and the presence of one doubles the risk for the other, which brings disabling social and health consequences. Increasing evidence supports integrated treatment of co-occurring MDE and AUD, including combined medications for both conditions as well as behavioral therapies. While young adults suffer disproportionately from these co-occurring conditions, little is known about their treatment utilization. Using nationally representative data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 2011-2019, this study examined temporal trends and disparities in the prevalence and treatment use for co-occurring MDE and AUD among young adults aged 18-25 in the U.S. Across the survey time, an increasing trend of MDE was revealed, whereas the prevalence of AUD decreased significantly. Meanwhile, the prevalence of co-occurring MDE and AUD remained steady. Among young adults with co-occurring MDE and AUD, while treatment use for MDE increased from 2011 to 2019, treatment use for AUD and co-occurring conditions remained stable. Observed widening disparities in co-occurring treatments utilized among young adults ages 18-25 are further perpetuated by gender, emerging adulthood, and socioeconomic status, warranting immediate action. Public Policy Relevance Statement Young adults with co-occurring depression and alcohol disorders suffer from serious physical health, economic, and social consequences that can last a lifetime if left untreated. Examining trends regarding the prevalence of these conditions among young people 18-25 and their treatment use patterns reveals the unique needs of this population. These findings may enhance practice and policy innovations that conceivably could help to mitigate against widening disparities.