» Articles » PMID: 35893432

Changes in the Care Activity in Addiction Centers with Dual Pathology Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Overview
Journal J Clin Med
Specialty General Medicine
Date 2022 Jul 27
PMID 35893432
Authors
Affiliations
Soon will be listed here.
Abstract

Background: Health care provision during the COVID-19 pandemic and confinement has led to significant changes in the activity of addiction centers. These changes in healthcare activity may have had a greater impact on patients with dual pathology. The aim of this study is to compare the treatment indicators of patients with dual pathology in addiction centers during the pre-confinement, confinement, and post-confinement periods.

Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted for the period between 1 February 2019 and 30 June 2021. A total of 2785 patients treated in specialized addiction services were divided into three periods according to their time of admission: pre-confinement, confinement, and post-confinement.

Results: During the pre-pandemic period, the addiction centers attended to an average of 121.3 (SD = 23.58) patients, decreasing to 53 patients during confinement (SD = 19.47), and 80.69 during the post-confinement period (SD = 15.33). The number of appointments scheduled monthly for each patient decreased during the confinement period, although this number increased after confinement. There was a reduction in the number of toxicological tests carried out both during and after confinement (except for alcohol).

Conclusions: The results show a reduction in the number of patients seen and the care activity delivered to dual diagnosis patients. These results, which were caused by the COVID-preventive measures, may affect the progress and recovery of dual patients. A greater investment is needed to bring the care activity up to the standards of the years prior to confinement.

Citing Articles

Access and use of general and mental health services before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Sculco C, Bano B, Prina E, Tedeschi F, Bartucz M, Barbui C BMJ Open. 2025; 15(3):e091342.

PMID: 40074252 PMC: 11904334. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-091342.


How Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted Addiction Services? A Study of the Different Periods of the Pandemic and Patient Treatment Follow-up Over 1 Year.

Narvaez-Camargo M, Mancheno-Velasco C, Diaz-Batanero C, Fernandez-Calderon F, Lozano O Subst Use. 2025; 19():29768357241306717.

PMID: 39802982 PMC: 11724415. DOI: 10.1177/29768357241306717.


Recent Advances in Dual Disorders (Addiction and Other Mental Disorders).

Torrens M, Adan A J Clin Med. 2023; 12(9).

PMID: 37176755 PMC: 10179482. DOI: 10.3390/jcm12093315.

References
1.
Mark T, Gibbons B, Barnosky A, Padwa H, Joshi V . Changes in Admissions to Specialty Addiction Treatment Facilities in California During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA Netw Open. 2021; 4(7):e2117029. PMC: 8280956. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.17029. View

2.
Tirado Munoz J, Farre A, Mestre-Pinto J, Szerman N, Torrens M . Dual diagnosis in Depression: treatment recommendations. Adicciones. 2017; 30(1):66-76. DOI: 10.20882/adicciones.868. View

3.
Dubey M, Ghosh R, Chatterjee S, Biswas P, Chatterjee S, Dubey S . COVID-19 and addiction. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2020; 14(5):817-823. PMC: 7282772. DOI: 10.1016/j.dsx.2020.06.008. View

4.
Manthey J, Kilian C, Carr S, Bartak M, Bloomfield K, Braddick F . Use of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and other substances during the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Europe: a survey on 36,000 European substance users. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy. 2021; 16(1):36. PMC: 8072737. DOI: 10.1186/s13011-021-00373-y. View

5.
Griffiths M, Mamun M . COVID-19 suicidal behavior among couples and suicide pacts: Case study evidence from press reports. Psychiatry Res. 2020; 289:113105. PMC: 7229970. DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113105. View