Relationship between cocaine use and mental health problems in a sample of European cocaine powder or crack users

Numerous studies have pointed out the risks of cocaine use for mental health. Most clinical studies report a high psychiatric comorbidity, mainly among crack users. In this paper the association of mental health problems with sociodemographic variables and patterns of use is analysed, based on data from a multicentre European study including a field survey of cocaine users in different settings. Bivariate analyses revealed that mental health problems were influenced by all variables under consideration, i.e. age, gender, social situation, crack use, days with cocaine use in the past month, lifetime use of cocaine, severity of dependence, and physical health. However, in a regression analysis, intensity of use, physical health, severity of dependence and social situation were found to be predictors of mental health problems, while crack use by itself was not. These findings suggest that mental health consequences are related more to the intensity than to the form of cocaine use.