Background:
Alcohol-impaired driving causes a substantial proportion of motor vehicle accidents. Depression is a prevalent psychiatric disorder among drinker-drivers. Few previous studies have investigated the relationship between major depression andalcohol-impaired driving.
Objectives:
We investigated whether depression has a positive relationship with the probability of alcohol-impaired driving after controlling for theco-occurrence of binge drinking andalcohol dependence.
Methods:
Our data consisted of drinkers aged 21–64 from two waves of the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). Cross-sectional analysis investigated whether depression is an independent risk factor for drinking-driving. Longitudinal analysis distinguished the relationship of depression onset, continuance, and recovery with changes in drinking-driving behaviors between the waves. These dual approaches allowed comparisons withprevious studies.
Results:
Major depression was a small but statistically significant predictor of changes in alcohol-impaired driving behaviors among men but not women. Binge drinking and alcohol dependence werecomparatively stronger predictors.
Conclusions/Importance:
There is limited empirical support that treating depression reduces drinking and driving in men who do no exhibit symptoms of alcohol use disorders. For persons for whom depression and alcohol use orders co-occur, treating depression should be part of a strategy for treating alcohol use disorders which are highly related to drinking and driving.
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