Alcohol Use Disorder and the Persistence/Recurrence of Major Depression: Le trouble de l'usage de l'alcool et la persistance/récurrence de la dépression majeure.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to determine the role of alcohol use disorder and other potential risk factors on persistence/recurrence of major depression in a Canadian population sample.

METHODS

Data were drawn from the National Population Health Survey (1994/1995 to 2010/2011), a prospective epidemiologic survey of individuals 12 years and older, living in 10 Canadian provinces ( = 17,276). Participants were reinterviewed every 2 years for 9 cycles. This study population was a cohort of individuals who at baseline met the diagnosis of a major depressive episode (MDE) in the previous 12 months ( = 908). After the 6-year (cycle 4) and 16-year (cycle 9) follow-up period, 124 of 718 participants and 79 of 461 participants met the criteria for MDE, respectively. Persistence or recurrence of major depression was defined as meeting a diagnosis of MDE after 6 years and 16 years. Modified Poisson regression models were used to assess the role of alcohol dependence and other risk factors on the persistence/recurrence of major depression using Stata 14.

RESULTS

Alcohol use disorder was significantly correlated with a 6-year (odds ratio []: 3.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.68 to 5.48; < .0001) and 16-year (, 3.17; 95% CI, 1.15 to 8.77, = 0.003) persistence/recurrence of major depression. Other factors associated with the persistence/recurrence of major depression include female sex, childhood traumatic events, chronic pain restricting activities, daily smoking, and low self-esteem.

CONCLUSIONS

Comorbid alcohol use disorder was found to be a strong risk factor for the persistence or recurrence of major depression.