Medical Conditions of Adolescents in Alcohol and Drug Treatment: Comparison with Matched Controls

Mertens, Jennifer R.; Flisher, Alan J.; Fleming, Michael F.; Weisner, Constance M.

doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2006.09.021

« Previous Next »Journal of Adolescent Health
Volume 40, Issue 2 , Pages 173-179, February 2007

Medical Conditions of Adolescents in Alcohol and Drug Treatment: Comparison with Matched Controls

Jennifer R. Mertens, M.A.
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Division of Research, Oakland, California
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Address correspondence to: Ms. Jennifer Mertens, Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, 2000 Broadway, 3rd Floor, Oakland, CA 94612-2304.
Alan J. Flisher, M.B.Ch.B.
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Adolescent Health Research Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
Michael F. Fleming, M.D.
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
Constance M. Weisner, Dr.P.H.
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Division of Research, Oakland, California
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, California

Received 29 April 2006; accepted 21 September 2006. published online 30 November 2006.

Abstract

Purpose

Alcohol and drug problems are associated with medical problems among adults. Research on the relationship of adolescent alcohol and drug use disorders to specific medical problems is less developed and focused on acute consequences. This study addresses gaps in the literature regarding medical comorbidities in adolescents with alcohol and drug use disorders.

Methods

This study compares the prevalence of medical conditions among 417 adolescent alcohol and drug treatment patients with 2082 demographically matched controls from the same managed care health plan and examines whether comparisons vary among substance-type subgroups.

Results

Approximately one-fourth of the comorbid conditions examined were more common among adolescent alcohol and drug patients than among matched controls, and several were highly costly conditions (e.g., asthma, injury). We also found that pain-related diagnoses, including headache and abdominal pain, were more prevalent among alcohol and drug patients.

Conclusions

Our findings point to the importance of examining comorbid medical and chemical dependency in both adolescent primary care and specialty care. Moreover, optimal treatment of many common medical disorders may require identification, intervention, and treatment of a substance use problem.