Narváez-Camargo Marta, Mancheño-Velasco Cinta, Díaz-Batanero Carmen, Fernández-Calderón Fermín, Lozano Oscar M
Department of Clinical and Experimental Psychology, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain.
Natural Resources, Health and Environment, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain.
Subst Use. 2025 Jan 11;19:29768357241306717. doi: 10.1177/29768357241306717. eCollection 2025 Jan-Dec.
Various studies have provided evidence of the impact of COVID-19 and the measures adopted by governments on drug use and its treatment. After 4 years, a more precise assessment of the evolution of patients and addiction treatment services can be made. The objective of this study is to compare different periods during the COVID-19 pandemic to identify changes in patient profiles and the care activity of addiction treatment centres.
A retrospective observational study was conducted using data from March 14, 2019 to June 22, 2022, from addiction centres of Andalusia (Spain). Information related to the treatment of each patient was collected during 1 year after the initiation of treatment (until June 22, 2023). Electronic health records of 29 740 outpatients were analysed and divided into 4 periods (pre-pandemic, lockdown, return to normal and post-lockdown).
Differences were found across the analysed periods. Admissions declined during the lockdown period but subsequently increased, without reaching pre-pandemic levels. Admission to treatment due to opioid dependence increased during the lockdown. In contrast, the percentage of patients with dual pathology decreased. An increase in the dropout rate of patients from treatment was observed compared to the pre-pandemic period.
The results revealed a similar patient profile across the different analysed periods. The most notable changes are observed in healthcare activity, which appears to have decreased. Therefore, a greater investment is likely required for the reformulation of addiction centres and increased funding to provide adequate assistance to these patients.
多项研究提供了关于新冠疫情及其相关政府措施对药物使用及其治疗影响的证据。4年后，可以对患者及成瘾治疗服务的演变进行更精确的评估。本研究的目的是比较新冠疫情期间的不同阶段，以确定患者特征及成瘾治疗中心护理活动的变化。
利用来自西班牙安达卢西亚成瘾治疗中心2019年3月14日至2022年6月22日的数据进行了一项回顾性观察研究。在治疗开始后的1年内（直至2023年6月22日）收集了每位患者的治疗相关信息。对29740名门诊患者的电子健康记录进行了分析，并分为4个阶段（疫情前、封锁期、恢复正常期和封锁后期）。
在分析的各阶段发现了差异。封锁期间入院人数下降，但随后有所增加，但未达到疫情前水平。封锁期间因阿片类药物依赖而接受治疗的人数增加。相比之下，患有双重病理的患者百分比下降。与疫情前时期相比，观察到治疗患者的退出率有所增加。
结果显示，在不同分析阶段患者特征相似。最显著的变化出现在医疗活动方面，其似乎有所减少。因此，可能需要加大对成瘾治疗中心重新规划的投入，并增加资金以向这些患者提供充分援助。
