@article{ref1,
title="Substance use disorder visits among adolescents at children's hospitals during COVID-19",
journal="Journal of Adolescent Health",
year="2021",
author="Masonbrink, Abbey R. and Middlebrooks, Lauren and Gooding, Holly C. and Abella, Margarita and Hall, Matt and Burger, Rebecca K. and Goyal, Monika K.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="PURPOSE: To assess changes in adolescent visits with substance use disorders (SUDs) at children's hospitals during COVID-19. <br><br>METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adolescents (11-18 years) with SUD diagnoses during a hospital visit in the Pediatric Health Information System. Study periods were defined as spring (03/15-05/31), summer (06/01-08/31), and fall (09/01-12/31), pre-COVID-19 (2017-2019), or during COVID-19 (2020). We summarized the change in weekly median visits and interquartile range (IQR) by characteristics and compared between the two periods (e.g., spring pre-COVID-19 [3/15-05/31/2017-2019] versus spring COVID-19 [3/15-05/31/2020]) using median regression. <br><br>RESULTS: There were 42,979 SUD visits (10,697 COVID-19; 32,282 pre-COVID-19) and 256 annual weekly median adolescent SUD visits [IQR 235, 280] pre-COVID-19 and 268 [IQR 245, 278] during COVID-19. The median number of weekly SUD visits increased by 14.3% during summer COVID-19 (median visits, [IQR]: 272 [268, 278]) compared to pre-COVID-19 (median visits: 237, IQR [216, 249]; p <.001) but did not significantly differ in spring (p =.091) or fall (p =.65) COVID-19. <br><br>DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest increased problematic adolescent substance use during summer COVID-19. Efforts to increase the identification and treatment of adolescent SUDs remain critical.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1054-139X",
doi="10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.12.024",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.12.024"
}