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Objective: To examine the association between sexual abuse in childhood and adult depression in women., Design: Two stage, case detection and case identification design, using the 30-item general health questionnaire and the Beck depression inventory for screening and the affective items relating to current functioning on the schizophrenia and affective disorders schedule to identify depressed cases. Details of sexual abuse in childhood were elicited retrospectively by semistructured interview, and social problems by the social problems questionnaire., Setting: Three general practices, in middle class suburban, deprived inner city, and rural areas., Subjects: 1189 women were screened and 237 subsequently interviewed; 132 were depressed., Results: 49 (37%) of the depressed interviews and 24 (23%) of the non-depressed interviews reported experience of sexual abuse when they were aged under 16 years. A positive association existed between the more severe abuse and depression--all those who had experienced penetration were depressed as adults. A relation was also found between sexual abuse in childhood and sexual problems, housing problems, and problems with their children at school., Conclusion: A positive association between child sexual abuse and depression was confirmed, but this was confined to more severe abuse (penetration or attempted penetration).

We compared attendance by Drug Misusers to the Accident & Emergency Departments (A&E) in the greater Dublin area during September 1985 and April 1993. The study took the form of a questionnaire administered by the previously trained A&E staff to attenders who were currently (within the past six months): experimenting with drugs, abusing drugs or drug dependent. Seventy three drug misusers were identified in September 1985 and 68 in April 1993. Poly substance misuse was a major feature of the 1993 survey and Benzodiazepines replaced Heroin as the major drug of misuse. There was a significant increase in the misuse of prescribed opiates, in particular morphine sulphate, methadone and DF118. Physical problems associated with drug misuse were more common in 1993 because of the new trend of crushing and injecting the morphine sulphate tablet. Patients continue to inject drugs and are poor attenders at needle exchange programmes. We feel that all doctors should exercise caution in their prescribing habits in view of the alarming increase in the misuse of prescribed medication as indicated by our figures.