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

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.

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

“…Restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic had an evident impact on the attention of specialized addiction centers. The study by Mancheo-Velasco et al [12] evaluated the admissions to treatment of dual patients together with their main sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, considering three key periods in the first wave of the pandemic in Spain: pre-confinement, confinement, and post-confinement. The period of confinement meant there was a large decrease in admissions in general, although in percentage terms, the number of dual patients even increased.…”