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. 2024 Feb 8:15:1339730.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1339730. eCollection 2024.

Abstinence duration and psychopathology among addiction outpatients during 18 months of COVID-19

Constanza Daigre  1   2   3   4 , Raul Felipe Palma-Álvarez  1   2   3   4 , Marta Sorribes-Puertas  1   3 , German Ortega-Hernández  1   3 , Marta Perea-Ortueta  1   2   3 , Elena Ros-Cucurull  1   2   3 , Lidia Segura  5 , Joan Colom  5 , Maria Dolores Braquehais  3   6 , Josep Antoni Ramos-Quiroga  1   2   3   4 , Lara Grau-López  1   2   3   4
Affiliations

Abstinence duration and psychopathology among addiction outpatients during 18 months of COVID-19

Constanza Daigre et al. Front Psychiatry. .

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the mental health of patients with substance use disorder (SUD). However, few longitudinal studies have been done which examine associations between the pandemic, SUD patients' mental health and their drug use.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine duration of abstinence according to psychiatric status among SUD outpatients followed-up for 18 months from the pandemic related lockdown.

Methods: A follow-up study of 316 SUD outpatients was undertaken. Sociodemographic features, and clinical and consumption related variables were recorded. Pre, during and post lockdown information was evaluated. Abstinence/substance use was monitored at the patient's scheduled follow-up appointments, and psychiatric disorders and psychological variables were revaluated at 18 months.

Results: Survival analyses were used to compare the duration of abstinence (in months) from the beginning of the lockdown. It was observed that 70% of patients consumed the main substance for which they were being treated at some point during the follow-up. Men, younger patients, those with more symptoms of anxiety and personality disorders, and patients who experienced increased craving during follow-up, showed shorter duration of abstinence. While patients who had previously maintained at least one year of abstinence, achieved better results.

Conclusions: During the first year and a half of the pandemic, SUD outpatients presented alterations in mental health, such us anxiety, depression and maladaptive personality traits and a high rate of relapse. For this reason, despite the health and social crisis and their restrictive measures, a comprehensive treatment should be ensured.

Keywords: COVID-19; abstinence; longitudinal study; mental disorder; outcome; substance use disorder.

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Conflict of interest statement

RP-Á has received speaker honorariums from Angelini, Casen Recordati, Exeltis, Lundbeck, MSD, Mundipharma, Rubió, Servier, and Takeda. GO-H has received speaker honorarium from Rubió, Casen Recordati and Lundbeck. ER-C has received speaker honorariums from Janssen-Cilag, Lundbeck, Otsuka, Pfizer, Lilly, Servier, Rovi, and Juste. She has received financial compensation for projects with Lundbeck, Esteve, Pfizer, Rovi, Exeltis, Servier, and Eisai. She has received financial compensation for her participation as a board member of Janssen-Cilag. JR-Q has been on the speakers’ bureau and/or acted as consultant for Janssen-Cilag, Novartis, Shire, Takeda, Bial, Shionogi, Sincrolab, Novartis, BMS, Medice, Rubió, Uriach and Raffo. The Department of Psychiatry chaired by him received unrestricted educational and research support from the following companies in the last 3 years: Janssen- Cilag, Shire, Oryzon, Roche, Psious, and Rubió. LG-L has received fees to give talks for Casen Recordati, Janssen-Cilag, Lundbeck, Servier, Otsuka, and Pfizer. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Study flowchart.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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