This article by Dr. O'Gara and colleagues looks at the idea that prevalence of co-morbidity (severe mental illness and substance) may be less in rural and semi-rural areas than inner cities. The aims of this study was to measure the prevalence of co-morbidity among patients of attending a mental health service in a semi-rural area South East England.
Study design:
Cross-sectional prevalence survey of 1,808 patients with detailed assessments from a representative sample of 373 patients identified as having a combination of severe mental illness and substance misuse. Interviews with key workers were performed using validated methods from the COSMIC study.

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