Smoking cessation is associated with lower rates of mood/anxiety and alcohol use disorders.

BACKGROUND: The psychological outcomes that accompany smoking cessation are not yet conclusive but positive outcomes could help to persuade quitting. METHOD: We used data from the longitudinal National Epidemiological Study of Alcohol and Related Conditions. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between cigarette smoking reduction and Wave 2 status of addiction/mental health disorder among daily smokers at Wave 1, stratified by status of the diagnosis of interest at Wave 1. We adjusted for differences in baseline covariates between smokers with different levels of smoking reduction between Wave 1 and Wave 2 using propensity score regression adjustment. RESULTS: After adjusting for propensity scores and other mental health/addiction co-morbidities at Wave 2, among daily smokers who had current or lifetime history diagnosis of the outcome of interest at Wave 1, quitting by Wave 2 predicted a decreased risk of mood/anxiety disorder [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.4-0.9] and alcohol disorder (aOR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5-0.99) at Wave 2. Among daily smokers with no lifetime history diagnosis of the outcome of interest at Wave 1, quitting smoking by Wave 2 predicted a decreased risk of drug use disorder at Wave 2 (aOR 0.3, 95% CI 0.1-0.9). CONCLUSIONS: There is no support in our data for the concern that smoking cessation would result in smokers' increased risk of some mental disorders. To the contrary, our data suggest that smoking cessation is associated with risk reduction for mood/anxiety or alcohol use disorder, even among smokers who have had a pre-existing disorder.

Twenty-five year mortality of US servicemen deployed in Vietnam: predictive utility of early drug use.

Large numbers of young men were exposed to high-quality opiates for a relatively short time period during military service in Vietnam. This study examined the relationships of opiate and other drug abuse before, during, and shortly after their time of service in Vietnam with the subsequent 25-year mortality among the cohort of 1227 US Army enlisted returnees and their matched civilians previously studied in 1972 and 1974. Composite factor scores of a variety of drug use measures and other individual behavioral measures were selected separately for three time periods around service in Vietnam from over 120 measures associated with mortality. Results of path analytic models applied to selected significant measures showed that both in-Vietnam and post-Vietnam drug use factors were large and significant predictors of mortality, controlling for pre-service drug use, continuity to later drug use, and demographic and other behavioral measures. The magnitude of the direct effect of drug use on mortality was larger than those of the covariates that were entered in the path analyses, except age. Notwithstanding the high remission rate from opiate addiction, drug use in Vietnam had considerable predictive utility for premature death in this cohort. In light of the re-emergence of increased heroin use since the mid-1990s, the findings point to the importance of early intervention of drug use and comorbid problems for today's youth now initiating heroin use.

A prospective study of coping after exposure to a mass murder episode.

In a study of 136 survivors of a mass murder spree, multidimensional scaling identified clusters of responses mapping from 75 coping behaviors described by victims. This powerful method identified three coping dimensions: (a) Active Outreach versus Passive Isolation, (b) Informed Pragmatism versus Abandonment of Control, and (c) Reconciliation/Acceptance versus Evading the Status Quo. These coping dimensions were used to predict change in psychiatric status prospectively assessed with structured diagnostic interviews at index 3-4 months after the event and follow-up assessments 1 and 3 years later. Statistically significant changes in the positive direction on each of the three dimensions in this study were associated with reductions of 47-79% of the odds for acute postdisaster major depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and any non-PTSD disorder. These findings suggest mechanisms for development of therapeutic techniques capitalizing on encouraging active outreach, informed focus and pragmatism, and reconciliation and acceptance, and reduction of passive and isolative behaviors, resignation of control, and avoidance of realities of the postdisaster situation.

The association of irritable bowel syndrome and somatization disorder.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and somatization disorder (SD) are defined by nonobjective symptoms that overlap considerably. Psychiatric symptoms associated with IBS may originate from SD in IBS patients. Previous studies of IBS have not considered SD separately from IBS. METHODS: This study explored psychiatric symptoms and illness behavior in IBS in relation to SD. A total of 50 outpatients with IBS or ulcerative colitis (UC) were evaluated with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule and Illness Behavior Questionnaire. RESULTS: Definite or probable SD was diagnosed in no UC patients and in 42% of IBS patients (confirmed in 25% and lacking one symptom in another 17%). IBS patients with probable or definite SD, but not those without SD, reported more psychiatric symptoms and abnormal illness behaviors than did UC patients. SD accounted for the association of psychiatric symptoms with IBS. CONCLUSIONS: In this university-based office setting, the association of psychiatric features with IBS appears heterogeneous predicated on whether SD is present. Future studies of functional bowel diseases should distinguish between patients with and without SD to clarify its relationship to these disorders. Clinicians should consider whether patients with functional disorders have SD, a diagnosis that indicates specific clinical management strategies.

Remission from drug abuse over a 25-year period: patterns of remission and treatment use.

OBJECTIVES: Using an epidemiologically obtained sample, we examined patterns of illicit drug use, abuse, and remission over a 25-year period and recent treatment use. METHODS: The surviving members of the cohort (n = 841), previously surveyed in 1972 and 1974, comprised 3 subsamples of Vietnam War enlisted men and civilian controls. Retrospectively obtained year-to-year measures from the 1996-1997 survey included use and remission of sedatives, stimulants, marijuana, cocaine, and opiates, as well as substance abuse and psychiatric treatment use. RESULTS: Relatively stable patterns of frequent use in adulthood were found, with the mean duration from initiation to the last remission ranging from 9 to 14 years. A majority attempted to quit; however, most did not use traditional drug treatment in their last attempts. Fewer than 9% of the then-current drug users were treated in inpatient or outpatient settings at the time of data collection. CONCLUSIONS: Most drug abusers who had started using drugs by their early 20s appeared to gradually achieve remission. Spontaneous remission was the rule rather than the exception. Nonetheless, considerable unmet needs existed for those who had continued use into middle age.

Effect of extended coverage of immunosuppressive medications by medicare on the survival of cadaveric renal transplants.

Between 1993 and 1995, Medicare extended its coverage of maintenance immunosuppression medications following renal transplantation from 1 to 3 years. We hypothesized that Medicare's extension of immunosuppressive coverage would improve graft survival among low-income transplant recipients. We merged patient-level clinical data from the USRDS-distributed UNOS registry of kidney transplants throughout the USA with median family income for each patient's ZIP code from the 1990 Census. We were able to merge median incomes to 10,837 first cadaveric renal transplants performed in 1992-93 and 16,732 performed in 1995-97. Each of these chronological cohorts was divided into two groups, those with family incomes above (high-income group) and those below (low-income group) $36,033. There were no differences in graft survival at 1 year based on income in either chronological era. However, when Medicare covered immunosuppression medications for just 1 year, the low-income group of 1-year graft survivors had a 4.5% lower graft survival at the end of 3 years post-transplant (p < 0.001). During the 1995-97 period, during which Medicare provided 3 years' immunosuppression coverage, the low-income and high-income groups had equivalent graft survival at 3 years post-transplant.

Service use over time and achievement of stable housing in a mentally ill homeless population.

OBJECTIVE: Service use among clients of a multiservice agency serving homeless persons with severe mental illness was examined to determine whether patterns of service use reflected two stages in an adaptation of the transtheoretical model of change. In the adapted model, change occurs in five stages-pre-engagement, contemplation, engagement, the strategic moment, and consolidation. It was hypothesized that rates of service use would be highest immediately after clients obtained housing (the strategic moment) and would decrease in the months afterward (consolidation stage), with the greatest decreases occurring immediately after housing was obtained. METHODS: Service use data were collected for two groups: a housed group of 58 clients who had obtained and sustained stable housing for at least 24 consecutive months at the time of sampling and an unhoused group of 55 clients who were matched with the housed clients on month of service entry. Total service use and use of three service types-a drop-in center, counseling, and health services-were examined to test the hypotheses. It was hypothesized that use of services by the unhoused group would show a consistent linear decline rather than a two-stage decline. Linear spline regression using bootstrap sampling methods was used to fit service use data for both groups. RESULTS: The two-stage solution significantly modeled the patterns of service use by the housed but not the unhoused clients, supporting the hypotheses. For the housed group, use of the drop-in center and counseling fit the model, and use of health services did not. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide limited support for the hypothesized five-stage model for achieving change.

Substance dependence and other psychiatric disorders among drug dependent subjects: race and gender correlates.

Persons in drug treatment with drug dependence were interviewed with the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule to ascertain DSM-III-R disorders. Lifetime prevalence rates were 64% for alcohol dependence, 44% for antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), 39% for phobic disorders, 24% for major depression, 12% for dysthymia, 10% for generalized anxiety disorder, 3% for panic disorder, 3% for mania, 3% for obsessive compulsive disorder, 2% for bulimia, 1% for schizophrenia, and 1% for anorexia. When stratified by race and age, significant main effects were seen, but there were no significant interactions except in "any non-substance disorder" and in the mean number of non-substance use disorders. Caucasians had a higher mean number of drug dependence disorders and higher overall rates of "any other" disorder than African-Americans, and Caucasians and males had higher mean numbers of non-substance use disorders than African-Americans and females, respectively. This was related to rates of alcohol, cannabis, and hallucinogen dependence, and ASPD rates that were higher among men than women and higher among Caucasian respondents than African-American for alcohol, cannabis, hallucinogen, opiate and sedative dependence, major depression, dysthymia, and generalized anxiety disorder. In contrast, women had higher rates than men of amphetamine dependence, phobic disorder, major depression, dysthymia, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and mania. African-Americans had higher rates than Caucasians of amphetamine, cocaine, and phencyclidine dependence, but for no comorbid disorders were the rates higher among African-Americans than Caucasians. The differences according to gender in rates of disorders among substance dependent persons are consistent with the results of general population surveys, but the differences in rates according to race are in contrast to these same community surveys. Limitations in the utility of the concept of race as a valid category diminish the generalizability of the findings; however, one possible explanation is differential treatment seeking in African-American and Caucasian populations that would result in the differences seen.

Psychiatric disorders among drug dependent subjects: are they primary or secondary?

The relationship between substance use disorders and comorbid psychiatric conditions was investigated among 425 persons in drug treatment who met DSM-III-R criteria for drug dependence. Using the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule to ascertain DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders among these drug dependent subjects, lifetime prevalence rates were 64% for alcohol abuse/dependence, 44% for antisocial personality disorder, 39% for phobic disorders, 24% for major depression, 12% for dysthymia, and 10% for generalized anxiety disorder. We found that antisocial personality disorder and phobias generally had onsets prior to the onset of drug dependence (that is, they were primary disorders). The majority of drug dependent persons with generalized anxiety disorder reported an onset after the onset of drug dependence (that is, they had secondary generalized anxiety). Alcohol dependence, depression, and dysthymia were divided nearly evenly between earlier (primary disorder) and later (secondary disorder). These results are consistent with the body of literature indicating the importance of antisocial syndromes in the etiology of substance abuse and the literature indicating the complex, varying nature of the relationship of psychiatric disorders to substance dependence. Finally, a precise nomenclature for "age of onset," "primary," and "secondary" was developed for this study that is critical to understanding these issues and is recommended for other studies.

The effects of psychiatric comorbidity on response to an HIV prevention intervention.

Drug abusers with psychiatric comorbidity are at high risk for becoming exposed to HIV. To address this compelling public health issue, our randomized HIV prevention study compares the effectiveness of the NIDA standard HIV testing and counseling protocol to a four session, peer-delivered, educational intervention for out-of-treatment cocaine users with and without antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and major depression. Among the 966 out-of-treatment cocaine users who have completed the 3 month follow-up, all groups, regardless of assignment to standard vs. peer-delivered intervention or psychiatric status, improved significantly in: crack cocaine use, injection drug use, number of IDU sex partners and overall number of sex partners, but not in condom use. Nevertheless, when stratified by psychiatric status, ASPD was associated with significantly less improvement in crack cocaine use (P = 0.04) and with a trend for less improvement in having multiple sex partners and having IDU sex partners (P = 0.06 and 0.08, respectively). ASPD status was not associated with change in injection drug use or condom use. Depression was associated with a trend (P = 0.07) for greater improvement in crack cocaine use but not in any of the other behaviors. When examining the standard and peer intervention groups separately, no consistent differences in the association of psychiatric comorbidity with outcome were discerned between the two groups. We conclude that persons with ASPD and depression respond well to standard HIV prevention interventions, but these psychiatric disorders respectively attenuate and enhance response somewhat. Behavioral interventions tailored for persons with these conditions may be indicated if long-term change in HIV risk behaviors is to be achieved.

Problem gambling and comorbid psychiatric and substance use disorders among drug users recruited from drug treatment and community settings.

Little is known about gambling rates of drug users recruited from drug treatment compared with those recruited from the community. We use the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) to provide lifetime prevalence estimates of problem gambling (i.e., at least one gambling problem) and DSM-III-R pathological gambling (i.e., at least four gambling problems) and describe the association between gambling and psychiatric disorders for drug users recruited from drug treatment settings (n = 512) and from the community (n = 478). We also report the relative risk of being a recreational and problem gambler in this sample. The sample was first interviewed in 1989-90 as a part of two NIDA-funded St. Louis-based studies. The prevalence of problem gambling in the overall sample was 22% and the prevalence of pathological gambling was 11%. There were no statistically significant differences in problem and pathological gambling rates for subjects recruited from drug treatment and those recruited from the community. The conditional prevalence rates, that is, the rate of problem and pathological gambling only among gamblers were 27% and 13.5%, respectively. Major findings indicate that problem gambling was associated with Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD), even after controlling for recruitment source and socio-demographic characteristics. In fact, when examining the temporal order of these disorders, we found that pathological gambling was always secondary to ASPD, occurring on average 11.4 years after the onset of ASPD. Problem gamblers, compared with everyone else, were more likely to be male, African-American, recruited from drug treatment, have ASPD and be dependent on illicit drugs. Multinomial logistic regression analysis predicted the relative risk of being a recreational and problem gambler (compared with a nongambler) in this sample according to socio-demographics, ASPD, and dependence on illicit drugs. Results imply that screening for gambling problems will need to be broad-based among drug users.

Applying artificial neural network models to clinical decision making.

Because psychological assessment typically lacks biological gold standards, it traditionally has relied on clinicians' expert knowledge. A more empirically based approach frequently has applied linear models to data to derive meaningful constructs and appropriate measures. Statistical inferences are then used to assess the generality of the findings. This article introduces artificial neural networks (ANNs), flexible nonlinear modeling techniques that test a model's generality by applying its estimates against "future" data. ANNs have potential for overcoming some shortcomings of linear models. The basics of ANNs and their applications to psychological assessment are reviewed. Two examples of clinical decision making are described in which an ANN is compared with linear models, and the complexity of the network performance is examined. Issues salient to psychological assessment are addressed.

Development of a new staging system for recurrent oral cavity and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 33% of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx develop a recurrence. The management of recurrent tumors can be challenging to both physician and patient, at least in part due to the lack of an accurate and clinically applicable staging system for these patients. The purposes of this study were to examine the survival patterns of patients presenting with recurrent oral cavity and oropharyngeal tumors, to identify key factors affecting prognosis, and to combine these factors to create a new staging system to predict survival and aid in planning therapy. METHODS: The methods included a retrospective chart review of 641 patients with oral cavity and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent their initial treatment at Washington University between 1980 and 1992. From this population, 249 patients (39%) developed a recurrence. RESULTS: The overall 2-year survival rate was 20% (50 of 249 patients). Six variables affected survival significantly: histologic differentiation, initial (prior to first therapy) TNM stage, initial treatment, time to recurrence, extent of recurrence, and treatment of recurrence. These six variables were entered into a logistic model to determine the individual prognostic significance of each variable. Two variables were found to be statistically significant: initial TNM stage (chi-square test = 7.67; P = 0.0056) and extent of recurrence (chi-square test = 11.75; P = 0.0006). Using the process of conjunctive consolidation, these two variables were combined to create a new staging system for recurrent tumors of the oral cavity and oropharynx. CONCLUSIONS: This staging system provides accurate estimates of prognosis, involves no new technology to implement, demonstrates statistically significant differences in survival by stage, and may aid both the physician and the patient in planning therapy.

Psychiatric disorders among survivors of the Oklahoma City bombing.

CONTEXT: Disasters expose unselected populations to traumatic events and can be used to study the mental health effects. The Oklahoma City, Okla, bombing is particularly significant for the study of mental health sequelae of trauma because its extreme magnitude and scope have been predicted to render profound psychiatric effects on survivors. OBJECTIVE: To measure the psychiatric impact of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on survivors of the direct blast, specifically examining rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), diagnostic comorbidity, functional impairment, and predictors of postdisaster psychopathology. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Of 255 eligible adult survivors selected from a confidential registry, 182 (71%) were assessed systematically by interviews approximately 6 months after the disaster, between August and December 1995. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Diagnosis of 8 psychiatric disorders, demographic data, level of functioning, treatment, exposure to the event, involvement of family and friends, and physical injuries, as ascertained by the Diagnostic Interview Schedule/Disaster Supplement. RESULTS: Forty-five percent of the subjects had a postdisaster psychiatric disorder and 34.3% had PTSD. Predictors included disaster exposure, female sex (for any postdisaster diagnosis, 55% vs 34% for men; chi2 = 8.27; P=.004), and predisaster psychiatric disorder (for PTSD, 45% vs 26% for those without predisaster disorder; chi2 = 6.86; P=.009). Onset of PTSD was swift, with 76% reporting same-day onset. The relatively uncommon avoidance and numbing symptoms virtually dictated the diagnosis of PTSD (94% meeting avoidance and numbing criteria had full PTSD diagnosis) and were further associated with psychiatric comorbidity, functional impairment, and treatment received. Intrusive reexperience and hyperarousal symptoms were nearly universal, but by themselves were generally unassociated with other psychopathology or impairment in functioning. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that a focus on avoidance and numbing symptoms could have provided an effective screening procedure for PTSD and could have identified most psychiatric cases early in the acute postdisaster period. Psychiatric comorbidity further identified those with functional disability and treatment need. The nearly universal yet distressing intrusive reexperience and hyperarousal symptoms in the majority of nonpsychiatrically ill persons may be addressed by nonmedical interventions of reassurance and support.

Long-term stability of Child Behavior Checklist profile types in a child psychiatric clinic population.

OBJECTIVE: To study the long-term stability of Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) profile types, which represent children's overall patterns of single and comorbid scale elevations. METHOD: Profile types were determined for 623 outpatient children at referral and then at mean follow-up 4.8 years later, and their continuity was determined. RESULTS: At baseline 37.5% of the children were classified by a profile type, and 41.9% of these originally classified children continued to be classified at follow-up. The average odds ratio for a child continuing as a specific CBCL profile type from baseline to follow-up was 8.2. When children changed from one specific profile type to another, they usually continued in the same broad externalizing or internalizing category. Children who were not classified by a profile type at baseline generally remained unclassified. CONCLUSIONS: Stability findings for CBCL profile types appeared good and were similar to past longitudinal results for CBCL scales and DSM diagnoses. These profile types may prove an important empirical method for addressing the problem of comorbid clinical pictures.

Substance abuse as a predictor of VA medical care utilization among Vietnam veterans.

The primary objective was to determine whether Vietnam veterans who had alcohol or drug use problems prior to, during, or immediately after the war used Veterans Administration (VA) health care services more intensively during the next two decades than Vietnam veterans without these behaviors. The secondary objective was to identify predictors of VA health services utilization among data collected at service discharge. Logistic and ordinary least squares regression were used to model the effect of predisposing, enabling, and need factors on utilization of VA health services (N = 571). Results show that Vietnam veterans who had substance use problems either before or immediately after Vietnam used VA health care services more intensively during the next two decades than Vietnam veterans without these behaviors. Depression and psychiatric care seeking were also important predictors. More research is needed to evaluate the impact of health system characteristics and private sector use on the predictive ability of the models.

Importance of hemodynamic factors in the prognosis of symptomatic carotid occlusion.

CONTEXT: The relative importance of hemodynamic factors in the pathogenesis and treatment of stroke in patients with carotid artery occlusion remains controversial. OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that stage II cerebral hemodynamic failure (increased oxygen extraction measured by positron emission tomography [PET]) distal to symptomatic carotid artery occlusion is an independent risk factor for subsequent stroke in medically treated patients. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective, blinded, longitudinal cohort study of patients referred from a group of regional hospitals between 1992 and 1996. PATIENTS: From 419 subjects referred, 81 with previous stroke or transient ischemic attack in the territory of an occluded carotid artery were enrolled. All were followed up to completion of the study, with average follow-up of 31.5 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Telephone contact every 6 months recorded the subsequent occurrence of all stroke, ipsilateral ischemic stroke, and death. RESULTS: Stroke occurred in 12 of 39 patients with stage II hemodynamic failure and in 3 of 42 patients without (P = .005); stroke was ipsilateral in 11 of 39 patients with stage II hemodynamic failure and in 2 of 42 patients without (P = .004). Six deaths occurred in each group (P = .94). The age-adjusted relative risk conferred by stage II hemodynamic failure was 6.0 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-21.6) for all stroke and 7.3 (95% CI, 1.6-33.4) for ipsilateral stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Stage II hemodynamic failure defines a subgroup of patients with symptomatic carotid occlusion who are at high risk for subsequent stroke when treated medically. A randomized trial evaluating surgical revascularization in this high-risk subgroup is warranted.

Taking chances: problem gamblers and mental health disorders--results from the St. Louis Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study.

OBJECTIVES: This study determined prevalence estimates of problem gambling and relationships to other psychiatric and substance use disorders. METHODS: In 1981, the Diagnostic Interview Schedule was used to collect epidemiological information on problem gambling and other disorders from 3004 adults in St. Louis, Mo. RESULTS: The lifetime prevalence of pathological gambling was 0.9%; 46% of those surveyed gambled recreationally. Problem gamblers (those reporting at least one gambling-related problem) were 9.2% of the sample and were predominately White (69%), male (78.2%), and young than nongamblers. They were at increased risk for several psychiatric diagnoses, especially for antisocial personality disorder, alcoholism, and tobacco dependence. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians treating alcoholism and tobacco dependence may need to screen for problem gambling. Additional research in the context of increased gambling opportunities is needed.

Correlates of early onset and chronicity of homelessness in a large urban homeless population.

This study examined temporal relationships between relative onsets of mental illness and homelessness in a cross-sectional study of 900 homeless people compared with a matched, never-homeless sample from the Epidemiologic Catchment Area study. All psychiatric disorders preceded homelessness in the majority. Only one disorder, alcohol use disorder (in men only), had significantly earlier onset in homeless subjects. Regarding number of symptoms or earlier age of onset of psychiatric disorders, earlier onset of homelessness was associated with several diagnoses: schizophrenia, major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, alcohol and drug use disorders, and antisocial personality. In multiple regression models, history of dysfunctional family background and maternal psychiatric illness were also associated with earlier onset of homelessness, whereas education was protective. Chronicity of homelessness was associated with number of symptoms of alcohol use disorder and earlier age of onset of drug use disorder, presence and number of symptoms of schizophrenia and antisocial personality, and earlier onset of major depression and conduct disorder. In multiple regression models, more education, but not family background problems, was associated with shorter lifetime duration of homelessness. These findings provide information relevant to the roles of mental illness and personal vulnerability factors in the onset and chronicity of homelessness.

The association of psychiatric diagnosis with weather conditions in a large urban homeless sample.

Assessment of psychiatric disorders encounters unique complexities in homeless populations. Although the use of structured diagnostic instruments has significantly improved research methodology in this area, questions remain about the validity of using cross-sectional diagnostic methods derived from studies of more general populations. In particular, the validity of structured diagnostic instruments in the assessment of schizophrenia, depression, drug use disorder, and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) in homeless populations has been questioned. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of psychiatric diagnoses with the weather. It was hypothesized that self-report of psychiatric illness may be affected by prevailing weather conditions. Nine hundred homeless subjects randomly sampled from St. Louis shelters, day centers, and unsheltered locations were interviewed over a 1-year period. Official average daily temperature and amount of precipitation on the day of each subject's interview were compared with lifetime and current psychiatric diagnoses ascertained by the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. Similar analyses were performed in general population data from the Epidemiologic Catchment Area study. The study found that among homeless men, inclement weather on the day of interview was associated with lifetime and current diagnoses of major depression, lifetime drug use disorder, lifetime diagnosis of ASPD, and current alcohol use disorder. These findings, however, were not present in homeless women and not reflected in the general population. The results, although limited, suggest that weather may confound cross-sectional, standardized methods of psychiatric diagnosis in homeless men. Weather-related factors among homeless men are associated with ascertainment of both lifetime and current diagnosis of major depression, as well as lifetime drug use disorder and ASPD and current alcohol use disorder. Possible interpretations of these findings are discussed, with implications for intervention strategies for psychiatric disorders in the larger context of homelessness and social problems.