Study Finds Repeat DUI Offenders Have High Mental Illness Rates

Main Category: Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs
Also Included In: Mental Health;  Public Health
Article Date: 22 Sep 2006 - 0:00 PDT

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A new study shows that alcohol may not be the only problem for repeat drunk drivers. More than half of DUI offenders also suffer from at least one mental illness in addition to a drug or alcohol-use disorder. The study found almost 60 percent of those with two or more DUI convictions reported experiencing major depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder or posttraumatic stress disorder over their lifetime.

The study consisted of people convicted of at least two DUI offenses in the past 10 years, and 40 percent had three or more DUI arrests. The majority of both men and women reported having at least one psychiatric disorder, as well as alcohol- or drug-abuse or dependence. Women had higher rates of depression than men and were more likely to suffer PTSD.

"People who deal with drug and alcohol abusers need to understand there are often other disorders that need to be dealt with as well," said Sandra Lapham, M.D., M.P.H., principal investigator of the study. "That's why we need to screen repeat offenders for multiple disorders. The offender should be viewed as a unique person with a unique set of issues. If they include psychiatric problems, these should be treated along with drug and alcohol issues."

Lapham is director of the PIRE Behavioral Health Research Center of the Southwest in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She says the data suggests DUI evaluations by the courts and treatment programs should include psychiatric screening and assessments.

The study participants were part of a three-year program called Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants Intensive Supervision Program (DISP) developed by Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland, Oregon. The volunteer program requires intensive probation, close monitoring and built-in punishments and rewards, in exchange for reduced jail time.

"The results of this study should encourage the courts to develop a more comprehensive approach to dealing with the hard-to-treat drinking driver," says Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Eric J. Bloch.

"Assessing the mental health of a DUI offender will help us choose the program that will reduce the chance of a re-offense."

The study published in the September edition of Journal of Studies on Alcohol was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

PIRE, or Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, is a national nonprofit public health research institute, funded mostly by federal science grants and contracts, with centers in eight U.S. cities. PIRE's website, http://www.PIRE.org, offers original content about PIRE research and programs. To stay informed about the latest research on public health problems, go to http://www.PIRE.org/subscribe to receive monthly updates on the vital work produced by PIRE.

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