Depression screening scores during residential drug treatment and risk of drug use after discharge

Depression is a highly prevalent disorder among patients in residential drug treatment, and the prognosis for recovery from chemical dependency among depressed persons is uncertain. This report presents one-year follow-up data on alcohol, cocaine, and marijuana use among patients who completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) during their inpatient stay in one of 12 residential treatment programs in the Midwest. At le-month follow-up, CES-D scores in the depressed range were significantly associated with risk of relapse for alcohol and marijuana use, but not for cocaine use.