Process indicators and outcomes of patients with SUD and Emotional Disorders: Comparison of pre-post COVID-19 pandemic

Background: There is clear evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic have had a negative impact on people’s mental health. Among the mental disorders, emotional disorders have been the ones that have increased the most. Studies have also shown an increased prevalence of substance use disorders. However, there is a gap on how the treatment of these patients has evolved along the period and how these treatments had outcome in addiction centers. This study analyzes admissions to treatment, indicators of therapeutic process and treatment outcome of patients with this type of dual pathology, after the confinement measures stablished because of COVID-19 (March 2020) in Andalusia. Methods: Retrospective observational study, conducted with patients under treatment for substance addiction in public and subsidised addiction centers in Andalusia (Spain) and diagnosed with an emotional disorder, according to the ICD classification. The study period covers from March 2019 until 31 December 2021. Analyses will be divided by periods according to their admissions to the addiction center (pre-pandemic, lockdown, return to normal, and post-pandemic). The information is analyzed from an anonymized database containing the electronic health records of the patients, the sole purpose of which is research. The present study complies with current legislation and has the approval of the Ethics Committee of Analusia. Results: An increase in treatment admissions of patients with emotional disorders is observed, compared to the pre-covid period. A comparison on how the adherence to treatment of these patients - as well as their therapeutic outcomes - has evolved over the four periods specified above is shown. Conclusions. The results of the present study can be used for the planning of drug addiction services and the adoption of measures to improve the care of these patients with dual pathology.  Funding: This work was supported by the grant “Evolución de la actividad asistencial y los resultados del tratamiento de pacientes con trastorno por consume de sustancias en Andalucía durante las diferentes fases de la pandemia Covid-19”, project EXP 2022/08882 by Delegación para el Gobierno del Plan Nacional sobre Drogas (Spain) from the European Union’s Recovery, Transformation and Resilicience Mechanism.