Prevalence of alcohol use disorders in individuals with borderline personality disorder: a meta-analysis and meta-regression study.

BACKGROUND

This review examined the prevalence rate of alcohol use disorders (AUDs)-including heavy episodic drinking, heavy drinking, alcohol abuse, and alcohol dependence-among individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD).

OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of this meta-analysis and meta-regression study was to investigate the prevalence AUDs associated with BPD.

DESIGN AND

SETTING

We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, Virtual Health Library (VHL/BVS), SciELO, LILACS, EMBASE, and PsycINFO for studies, reports, or abstracts published without language restrictions.

METHODS

We searched for reports published from database inception through March 2024. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines (MOOSE). Based on the extracted data, we performed meta-analyses and meta-regressions.

RESULTS

The final sample included 15 articles with 15,603 individuals aged 18 years or older with BPD. The prevalence of AUDs with BPD was 55.28%, while the prevalence of alcohol dependence (AD) was 44.59%, and alcohol abuse (AA) was 18.84%.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate a high prevalence of AUDs among individuals with BPD, underscoring the need for targeted prevention and treatment strategies. Integrated dual-diagnosis approaches addressing both disorders simultaneously are crucial for improving outcomes. This high prevalence has important implications for public health.