According to the results of a new study, psychiatric comorbidities in substance use disorders (SUD) differ significantly between men and women. The research study, carried out by researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, set out to determine whether the odds of psychiatric comorbidities differ by sex among individuals with opioid, alcohol, or cannabis dependence, using a national clinical dataset. Its findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Psychiatry Online.

As part of the study, the researchers used data collected from 58,050 participants through state-funded and state-run mental health programs in 2022, obtained from adults with a primary diagnosis of either opioid, alcohol, or cannabis dependence. Moreover, data from individuals with SUD were examined for psychiatric comorbidity outcomes. It was found that males with opioid, alcohol, or cannabis dependence showed lower odds of most psychiatric comorbidities, such as anxiety, depression, bipolar, and trauma-related disorders, compared to females. However, men had higher odds of psychotic disorders in opioid and cannabis use disorders. Associations with race and ethnicity were also observed.

Moreover, secondary analysis of the results found that psychiatric comorbidities also varied by race and ethnicity across substance use disorders. Specifically, it was found that Individuals in the African American group had significantly higher odds of bipolar disorder, depression, and psychotic disorders compared to caucasian individuals. Meanwhile, individuals in the native American group with opioid dependence showed a different pattern, including lower odds of bipolar disorder. Finally, the results revealed that individuals of Hispanic/Latino ethnicity with opioid dependence had higher odds of anxiety, but lower odds of bipolar and psychotic disorders.

“In this recent national clinical dataset, sex-based differences were observed in specific psychiatric comorbidities for each of these three SUDs,” concluded the authors. “Future studies should examine biopsychosocial mechanisms that underlie these differences, with the goal of improving personalized care.”