This study examines the prevalence of medical and psychiatric conditions among substance abuse patients and demographically matched controls from the same HMO, finding "approximately one third of the conditions examined were more common among substance abuse patients than among matched controls, and many of these conditions were among the most costly. We also found that pain-related diagnoses, including arthritis, headache, and lower back pain, were more prevalent among such patients, particularly those dependent on narcotic analgesics."  In addition, the authors conclude that the findings "point to the importance of examining comorbid medical conditions and substance abuse in both primary and specialty care. Our findings regarding pain-related diagnoses among patients dependent on narcotic analgesics highlight the need for linkages between primary care and substance abuse treatment. Moreover, optimal treatment of many common medical disorders may require identification, intervention, and treatment of an underlying substance abuse disorder."

Mertens, J., Yun, L., Sujaya, P., Moore, C., & Weisner, C. (2003). Medical and psychiatric conditions of alcohol and drug treatment patients in an HMO: comparison to matched controls. Archives of Internal Medicine, 163(20): 2511-2517.  http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/163/20/2511 

Authors:  Jennifer R. Mertens, Yun W. Lu, Sujaya Parthasarathy, Charles Moore, Constance M. Weisner