Citation

John WS, Wu LT. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2017; 178: 477-484.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatric Internal Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; Center for Child and Family Policy, Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA. Electronic address: litzy.wu@duke.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.05.035

PMID

28711814

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The emergency department (ED) and hospital settings represent crucial opportunities for engaging treatment for cannabis use disorder (CUD). Thus, there is a need to identify factors associated with healthcare utilization among persons with CUD to improve screening and intervention approaches. Problematic alcohol use may be a salient risk factor.

METHODS: Using data from the 2005-2013 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, we determined factors, including different patterns of alcohol use, associated with past-year ED admission and inpatient hospitalization among persons aged 12 years or older meeting criteria for CUD in the past year (N=16,757). We also determined the prevalence and correlates of problem alcohol use among persons with CUD to further inform its association with healthcare utilization.

RESULTS: Among persons with CUD, 40.15% and 10.04% reported past-year ED admission and inpatient hospitalization, respectively. Severe alcohol use disorder (AUD) (≥6 AUD symptoms), female sex, Black race, low income, major depressive episode (MDE), and other substance use disorders were associated with increased odds of healthcare utilization; current (i.e., last month) alcohol use patterns were not. Persons with CUD that were males, ages 18-25 (vs. ages 12-17), Hispanic (vs. White), and with low income, other drug use disorders, or MDE had increased odds of AUD.

CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that screening and intervention efforts for improving treatment initiation or engagement for CUD may target cannabis-using women, blacks, low-income adults or those with severe AUD in the past year, another substance use disorder, or MDE.

Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Alcohol use disorder; Cannabis use; Cannabis use disorder; Healthcare utilization; Hospitalization