Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T11:56:08.385Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Sleep disturbances and substance use disorders: An international study of primary care and mental health specialty care patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2020

L. Fortuna*
Affiliation:
Boston Medical Center, Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Boston, USA
N. Noyola
Affiliation:
Massachusetts General Hospital, Disparities Research Unit, Boston, USA
B. Cook
Affiliation:
Cambridge Health Alliance and Harvard Medical School, Health Equity Research Lab, Cambridge, USA
A. Amaris
Affiliation:
Massachusetts General Hospital, Disparities Research Unit, Boston, USA
*
* Corresponding author.

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Introduction

There is no comprehensive evidence on the influence of sleep disturbances (SD) on substance use disorders (SUD) or treatment use patterns of individuals with comorbid disturbances.

Objective/aim

To better understand comorbidities and treatment use patterns of individuals with SD and SUD.

Methods

We combine 2010–2012 electronic health record (EHR) data from healthcare system in Boston (n = 131,966 person-years) and Madrid, Spain (n = 43,309 person-years). Patients with sleep disturbances (SD) were identified in the EHR through ICD-9 codes and medical records and substance use disorders (SUD) identified by documented treatment for drug or alcohol abuse or dependence. Rates of SUD are compared between individuals with and without SD. Among those with both, adequacy of mental health treatment (defined as eight or more outpatient visits or four or more outpatient visits with a psychotropic prescription) and ER use is compared.

Results

Among the individuals, 21.1% with SD also report SUD, compared to only 10.6% of individuals without SD (P < .01). Those with comorbidities were more likely than their specialty care counterparts without comorbidities to be seen in the ER (57.1% vs. 36.6%, respectively, P < .05). Limiting the sample to only those with both SD and SUD in specialty mental health care (n = 268 in Boston and n = 28 in Madrid), 49.2% of Boston patients received adequate care compared to 38.5% of Madrid patients, and 57.8% of Boston patients had any ER use in the last year vs. 50% of Madrid patients.

Conclusions

SD is correlated with SUD and comorbid patients are more likely to use emergency services.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Type
FC97
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2016
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.