Cocaine use disorders and suicidal ideation

The goal of this study was to determine the contribution of substance abuse to the expression of suicidal ideation in a sample of patients referred for evaluation of chemical dependency in a large urban Psychiatric Emergency Service (PES). Records from 777 consecutive patients referred to the chemical dependency service of the PES were analyzed. Of this sample, 43.7% of the patients with only a cocaine use disorder expressed suicidal ideation compared to 38% of those with both cocaine and alcohol use disorders, 24.3% with only an alcohol use disorder and 17% with other drug use disorders (x(2) = 24.768; df = 3; P < 0.0001). More than half of the patients (55.26%) with a substance-induced mood or psychotic disorder expressed suicidal ideation (x(2) = 23.174, df = 1, P < 0.0001), and the majority (85%) of these patients had a cocaine use disorder (x(2) = 12.309, df = 1, P < 0.0005). In this sample of patients served by an urban PES, cocaine use is associated with suicidal ideation, more so than other substances of abuse. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.