Dual diagnosis can be defined as a combination of a substance use disorder and a coexistent psychiatric disorder in one patient. It constitutes a challenge for Therapeutic Rehabilitation Programme, because of its multifaceted nature. This pilot study was conducted using a naturalistic approach to study for eighteen months, Clients were admitted as inpatients in Residential Therapeutic Rehabilitation Program offered by the Mental Health Services in Cyprus. Methods: Forty-five consecutive patients admitted to the Residential Therapeutic Rehabilitation Program (RTRP) under the Mental Health Services in Cyprus during the period of January 2009 to June 2010. Primary outcomes were the coexistence of psychiatric disorder and substance use disorder, the client profile with dual diagnosis and treatment retention. The EuropASI questionnaire and examination of personal records were used, which included the psychiatric diagnosis of the patients according to the DSM-IV. Results: A total of forty five patients were used, 30 were males (80%) with mean age 27.5 ± 6.7, and 15 were females, (20%) with mean age 26.4 ± 4.1. The study revealed that 33.3% of patients suffered with psychiatric disorder with coexistence of drug dependency, thus, showing that only a minority of patients admitted to the (RTRP) in Mental Health Services have double diagnosis. Additionally the most commonly appeared psychiatric disorder is mood disorder. The psychiatric disorder is often associated with the main drug use (heroin, cocaine, THC e.t.c), further more patients diagnosed with double diagnosis often abandoned the Residential Rehabilitation Program early. Results support that the group of dually diagnosed and the group with drug-dependence are showing differences in relation to their treatment retention. In conclusion, the results have shown the individual characteristics of the clients with dual diagnosis in comparison with clients with substance use disorder. The characteristics included e.g. the educational background, their occupation, their police record, their family and interpersonal relationships. Conclusion: Despite the fact that the minority of the patients admitted in (RTRP) have double diagnosis, this study reports that patients with dual diagnosis live treatment earlier than patients with drug addiction only. Dual diagnosis negatively affect prognosis in patients with drug dependence. Concluding this pilot study is supporting those clients that are diagnosed with co morbid disorder should be assessed and evaluated at the beginning of their treatment in order to offer them care that is meeting their needs and encourage them to adhere with their treatment.

Cyprus Mental Health Services Department of Addiction Psychiatry

Ethniko Kapodistriako Panepistimio Athinon

University of Nicosia Cyprus

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