Treatment dropout in drug-addicted women: are eating disorders implicated?

A high prevalence of eating disorders among drug-addicted female patients has been noted, and it could be associated to psychopathological underlying factors. Our aim was to assess eating disorder traits in women approaching a residential program for drug addiction. We hypothesized that these traits would correlate to more general psychopathological factors, and would influence treatment relapse. A sample of 204 substance dependent women attending a residential treatment was screened for psychopathological indices, and follow-up data were obtained at the end of the treatment. Clients had a high risk for eating disorders (15%), and lifetime prevalence was even higher (20%). Disordered eating was associated to psychopathological distress, in particular harm avoidance resulted significantly lower (p=0.005), evoking higher unresponsiveness to danger. Drug addiction treatment outcome is associated to completion of defined programs, and eating disorder was a key covariable in determining treatment relapse or success (p=0.03). Clinicians should be aware of this potential co-morbidity, and concurrent treatments should be attempted, in order to prevent symptomatic shifting.