Disproportionate lethality in psychiatric patients with concurrent alcohol and cocaine abuse

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the association between active, concomitant cocaine and alcohol abuse and the prevalence and severity of current suicidal and homicidal behavior among hospitalized psychiatric patients. METHOD: Three groups of patients--with cocaine and alcohol abuse (N = 38), alcohol abuse only (N = 38), and cocaine abuse only (N = 25)--consecutively admitted to a psychiatric and substance abuse dual-diagnosis unit were comparatively examined for the presence of current suicidal and homicidal behavior. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Logistic regression analysis revealed that the alcohol and cocaine abuse group had a higher likelihood of associated current homicidal behavior than the alcohol-only and the cocaine-only groups.