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Primary Care Management of Patients with Co-occurring Disorders
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 November 2014
Abstract
Primary care physicians (PCPs) often provide the first line of care for the vast number of United States adults—∼30% at any given time—with either a psychiatric or a substance use disorder, or both. The widespread prevalence of this comorbidity bears reiterating: During the same 12-month period, 20% of national survey respondents with a substance use disorder (SUD) had at least one mood disorder, and 17% had at least one anxiety disorder. Conversely, at least one SUD was found among 20% of respondents with a mood disorder and 15% of those with an anxiety disorder. However, because PCPs are often not aware of or alerted to these problems, it would seem advisable that patients presenting with either a psychiatric or an alcohol use disorder should be evaluated for both conditions. Establishing the presence of co-occurring disorders may be difficult, but it is necessary for appropriate and realistic treatment planning.
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