Psychiatry Research EG

Background Substance use may be a major problem, especially in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP). Aims The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of substance use among patients with FEP and investigate the most commonly used substances and their sociodemographic characteristics. Participants and methods A sample of 187 patients with FEP were recruited for the study. They were subjected to an initial psychiatric interview, a Drug Abuse Screening Test, an Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test, a Structured Clinical Interview of DSM-IV, and urine screening for substances. Results Seventy-two individuals (39%) were users of substances; 19 of them (26%) used more than one substance. In the user group, the most commonly used substances were stimulants (37 individuals, 51%), followed by cannabis (29 individuals, 40%) and alcohol (16 individuals, 22%). The least commonly used substances were benzodiazepines (five individuals, 7%), inhalants (three individuals, 4%), and morphia (one individual, 1%). No use of cocaine or barbiturates could be detected. Use of substances was significantly higher among individuals of single status, men, people of higher education, and individuals of Saudi nationality (P = 0.01, 0.001, 0.01, and 0.001, respectively). No significant difference was found between users and nonusers as regards age and employment status. Conclusion Substance use is common among patients with FEP. Stimulants, cannabis, and alcohol are the most commonly used substances. Keywords: first-episode psychosis, prevalence, substance use