Comparison of 2019 and 2020 Inpatient Data of an AMATEM Clinic

Authors : Nülüfer Kılıç, Mehmet Hamdi Örüm, Dilek Örüm

Pages : 15-20

Doi:10.38175/phnx.1520305

View : 9 | Download : 24

Publication Date : 2025-03-25

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Objective: This study aims to examine the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on hospitalisation rates and substance use patterns among patients admitted to the AMATEM clinic of a mental health hospital, by comparing data from 2020 with pre-pandemic data from 2019. Material and Method: All patients who were admitted to the AMATEM clinic of Elazığ Mental Health and Diseases Hospital between 01.07.2019-31.12.2019 and 01.07.2020-31.12.2020 were included in the study. Sociodemographic and clinical data of the patients, such as age, diagnosis, mean duration of hospitalization, and urine toxicology, were recorded. Results: There were 257 hospitalizations on the dates specified in 2019 and 126 hospitalizations in 2020. The most common diagnosis was multiple substance use disorder (n=160), the second most common diagnosis was opioid use disorder (n=111), and the third most common diagnosis was alcohol use disorder (n=56). The most common multiple substance combinations were methamphetamine+opioid (n=47) and methamphetamine+cannabis (n=32). While the mean age in patients using methamphetamine+cannabis was higher than in patients using methamphetamine+opioid (p=0.023), the mean duration of hospitalization was lower in patients using methamphetamine+cannabis (p=0.008). Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in decreased hospitalization numbers in a mental health hospital’s AMATEM clinic, as well as changes in substance use patterns, including changes in common substance use combinations. It seems reasonable to posit that these shifts were associated with altered substance accessibility during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords : COVİD-19, Pandemi, Yatan hasta, Madde kullanımı, Alkol