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The effect of COVID-19 pandemic on admissions for cannabis-induced psychotic disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

A. Elias De Sousa*
Affiliation:
Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, Serviço De Psiquiatria, Porto, Portugal
A.S. Machado
Affiliation:
FMUP, Departamento De Neurociências Clínicas E Saúde Mental, Porto, Portugal
F. Andrade
Affiliation:
Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, Serviço De Psiquiatria, Porto, Portugal
M. Roque Gonçalves
Affiliation:
Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, Serviço De Psiquiatria, Porto, Portugal
M. Vieira-Coelho
Affiliation:
Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João, Serviço De Psiquiatria, Porto, Portugal
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Cannabis-induced psychotic disorder (CIPD) is defined by the development of psychotic symptoms during or briefly after intoxication with cannabis or withdrawal from cannabis. The social measures and restrictions implemented following the COVID-19 pandemic might have had an impact on cannabis availability, as suggested by patients from our clinical practice, reporting a shortage of the substance.

Objectives

To compare sociodemographic, clinical characteristics and admission rates of inpatient treatment for cannabis-induced psychotic disorder in COVID-19 pandemic period and pre-pandemic period.

Methods

Retrospective observational study of inpatient admissions for CIPD in a psychiatry inpatient unit of a tertiary hospital. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software, version 27.0.

Results

Our sample included 120 inpatient admissions, corresponding to 80 patients. Compared to 2018 and 2019, in 2020 there was an overall reduction of 21.5% in inpatient admissions (n=618, 549 and 458, respectively). The number of admissions for CIPD in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 up to september were, respectively, 29, 32, 10 and 31 (5.2%, 6.1%, 2.2% and 7.2% of respective annual admissions). We found no statistically significant differences regarding sociodemographic and clinical characteristics in patients admitted for CIPD during 2020.

Conclusions

These results suggest a disproportionate reduction of inpatient admissions due to CIPD in 2020, followed by an expressive increase in the number of admissions in 2021up to september. This might be related to cannabis availability returning to regular levels. However other factors must be considered, such as the delay of treatment due to reduced accessibility to health care.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Type
Abstract
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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