Prevalence and correlates of major depression among Nepalese patients in treatment for alcohol-use disorders.

Introduction and Aims This study investigated the prevalence of major depression ( MD) and its sociodemographic and alcohol-related correlates among Nepalese patients receiving treatment for an alcohol-use disorder ( AUD). Design and Methods A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 188 consecutively admitted AUD patients in eight residential alcohol treatment units in Kathmandu. We recorded sociodemographic data and administered the alcohol use and depression modules of the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview 2.1 and the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test. Analyses were performed with χ2-tests, Student's t-tests, Mann- Whitney U-tests and logistic regression analyses. Results The lifetime and 12-month prevalence of MD among AUD patients were found to be 45% and 36% respectively. Living with a spouse and low-frequency drinking (2-3 days/week) showed negative associations with reporting MD in the preceding 12-month period, whereas a history of alcohol-induced blackout and problem drinking in the individual's parents were independently predictive of having a comorbid MD. Discussion and Conclusion MD is common among patients with AUDs in Nepal. Among AUD patients who sought treatment, a few factors, such as marital status, history of alcohol-induced blackout and drinking frequency, seem to correlate well with comorbid MD. Study results suggest that transgenerational underpinning of AUD-MD comorbidity may exist in those sections of the population who have strong taboos about the use of alcohol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]