PROBLEMS IN THE RECOGNITION AND TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH DUAL DIAGNOSES

Background. This study was to find if the dually diagnosed in a teaching psychiatric hospital were being adequately identified and treated. Method: The records of 200 adult inpatients were reviewed for psychiatric diagnoses, the presence of a history of substance abuse, and the kinds of treatment rendered those patients. Results: Forty-three percent of the patients admitted were found to have a history of substance abuse, but 31.4% of these had a history of substance abuse in the record without a formal diagnosis. Major depression (26.6%) and schizophrenia (18.7%) were the most frequent diagnoses. Half of the patients received no documented treatment for substance abuse. The most common intervention was education by the nursing staff. Conclusions: There is a clear need for better recognition and treatment of the dually diagnosed patient.