TY - JOUR PY - 2014// TI - Alcohol use and craving among Veterans with mental health disorders and mild traumatic brain injury JO - Journal of rehabilitation research and development A1 - Herrold, Amy A. A1 - Jordan, Neil A1 - High, Walter M. A1 - Babcock-Parziale, Judi A1 - Chambers, R. Andrew A1 - Smith, Bridget A1 - Evans, Charlesnika T. A1 - Li, Xue A1 - Mallinson, Trudy A1 - Jenkins, Shonna A1 - Pape, Theresa Louise-Bender SP - 1397 EP - 1410 VL - 51 IS - 9 N2 - Mental health disorders (MHDs), mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are endemic among recent Veterans, resulting in a population with heterogeneous, co-occurring conditions. While alcohol craving negatively affects rehabilitation and leads to relapse, no studies have examined alcohol craving among Veterans with co-occurring MHDs and mTBI. The purpose of this preliminary cohort study is to describe alcohol craving in a convenience sample of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans (n = 48), including those exposed to traumatic events and experiencing active symptoms. Veterans completed weekly telephone interviews that included the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test, consumption questions (AUDIT-C) (week 1) and the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS) (weeks 1-6). Sixty percent of the sample screened positive on the AUDIT-C for probable AUD. Using Rasch analysis, the person separation reliability of the PACS was strong (0.87) among AUDIT-C positive Veterans. Higher PACS scores were reported among AUDIT-C positive versus AUDIT-C negative Veterans (mixed effects analysis, p < 0.001). PACS scores were higher among AUDIT-C positive Veterans with MHDs with and without mTBI versus AUDIT-C positive combat comparison Veterans (pairwise comparison, p < 0.001). Rates of hazardous alcohol use are high among Iraq and Afghanistan conflict Veterans and suggest that alcohol craving is elevated among those with MHDs with and without mTBI.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0748-7711 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1682/JRRD.2013.07.0170 ID - ref1 ER -