TABLE 2.

Prevalence of Self-Reported Lifetime, Prior Year, and Prior Month Alcohol and Drug Use Among Depressed Men and Women Aged 60 Years and Older Seeking Outpatient Psychiatric Services

	Ever Used		Prior Year		Prior 30 Days
Drug Type	N	Percentage	N	Percentage	N	Percentage
Alcohol
Men	52	91.2	37	64.9	30	52.6
Women	79	82.3	60	62.5	48	50.0
Amphetamines
Men	18	31.6	3	5.3	2	3.5
Women	19	19.8	2	2.1	1	1.0
Cannabis
Men	26	45.6	8	14.0	7	12.3
Women	33	34.4	12	12.5	4	4.2
Cocaine
Men	17	29.8	0	0.0	0	0.0
Women	16	16.7	0	0.0	0	0.0
Ecstasy
Men	2	3.5	0	0.0	0	0.0
Women	1	1.0	0	0.0	0	0.0
Hallucinogens
Men	16	28.1	0	0	0	0.0
Women	11	11.5	2	2.1	0	0.0
Opioids
Men	14	24.6a	5	8.8b	0	0.0
Women	8	8.4	1	1.0	0	0.0
Sedatives
Men	23	40.4	12	21.1	9	15.8
Women	26	27.1	17	17.7	9	9.4
Tobacco
Men	39	68.4	8	14.0	8	14.0
Women	60	62.5	15	15.6	13	13.5

Notes: N = 153. Self-reported substance use was compared by gender within each time period (lifetime, prior year, and prior 30 days) using χ² (Fisher’s exact test). Percentages are based on the total sample, by gender (57 men and 96 women), minus refusals. Heavy episodic drinking (5+) in the past year was reported by 31.6% of men and 27.1% of women. Patient refusal to answer substance questions was <1%. Sedative and opioid questions indicated use “other than as prescribed.”

^aχ²(1,N = 152) = 7.50, p = 0.007.

^bχ²(1,N = 153) = 5.67, p = 0.027.