The prevalence and nature of trauma and PTSD in a community drug and alcohol service: A cross-sectional survey using routine clinical data.

In comparison to a community sample, comorbidity between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD) is common. Individuals with comorbid PTSD and SUD have a more severe clinical profile than those with either disorder alone, with an earlier onset of substance abuse, more years of problematic use, more polydrug use, a greater likelihood of readmission to SUD services and a higher use of these services. The aims of this project are to estimate the nature and prevalence of trauma and PTSD in the service users of a UK community drug and alcohol team (CDAT). It will also explore whether treatment for PTSD has been offered to CDAT clients. It is hoped that this will improve our understanding of how common trauma and PTSD are in clients of a CDAT, and provide evidence to this service (and others like it) of why assessing and treating these problems could help them work more effectively with clients, and potentially improve the outcomes for the clients.