This study was published by Health Services Research in 2005. The study looks at the correlation between drug/alcohol use, unmet medical needs, and use of mental health care within the context of self-mediation.
The study used a selection of people that had last one past year mental disorder symptom, no past year substance dependency, past 30-day use of alcohol, marijuana or other illicit drugs and past year unmet need for and use of mental health care. The basis for the sample group was taken from the 2001 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse and the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The study found that for people with mental health disorders early discovery and treatment of mental health problems might prevent the development of substance-use. It also found that substance use varies in relation to past year unmet need for mental health care.
Read the study here.
Citation: Katherine M Harris, Mark J Edlund, 'Self-Medication of Mental Health Promblems: New Evidence from a National Survey' (2005), Health Serv Res. 2005 Feb; 40(1): 117–134