Alcohol and other drug disorders, comorbidty and violence in rural African American women.

African-American women report less alcohol and drug (AOD) use than Caucasian women. However, African-Americans disproportionately experience negative health and social consequences of AOD use. This is especially true for rural women, many of whom live in poverty and have debilitating co-morbid psychiatric disorders that go undiagnosed and treated. It is imperative that health professionals be knowledgeable about AOD use, co-morbid disorders, and how to screen for them. This manuscript is focused on examining rural African American women (n = 142) with and without AOD disorders on the following variables: drugs of abuse, Axis I psychiatric disorder, and adult and childhood victimization.