PREVALENCE OF SUBSTANCE USED IN PSYCHIATRIC OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT, TRANG HOSPITAL

Abstract

                Objective: To explore the prevalence of substance use in Psychiatric Outpatient Department Trang Hospital.

                Methods: This research is a cross-sectional descriptive study. In the sample, all types of substance abusers, except for both new and old that have been diagnosed by psychiatrists as substance abusers. Who came to receive the outpatient psychiatric services Trang Hospital, 233 people. Tools available to ASSIST V2 screening form, Thai language version. Data analysis used demographic statistic such as mean, standard deviation and percentage.

                Results: From total subjects of 233 cases, the lifetime and 3-month prevalence of any substances use were 74.70 and 25.20%, respectively. There were classified to low, moderate, and high risky use of any substances as 50.47% 37.26% and 12.26%, respectively. The top of 4 common substances that patients had ever used were amphetamines 40.34%, cigarettes 30.04%, alcohol 21.88%, and marijuana 6.86% respectively. The prevalence of high risky use for methamphetamine, alcohol, cigarettes among psychiatric outpatients were 50%, 14.28% and 39.21% respectively. Prevalence of high risky use for any substances among schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depressive disorder and adjustment disorder were 100.00%, 100.00%, 62.50% and 35.29%, respectively. Patients with bipolar disorder a demonstrated high-risk use of smoking 42.30%, followed by 25.00% of high-risk depression patients, while 50.00% of patients with depression had high-risk alcohol use. People with adjustment problems were found 29.41%. Most common reasons of substance use were for were for social recreation 53.82% followed for relief from dysphoric mood and loneliness 42.50%.

                Conclusion: The lifetime and 3-month prevalence of substance use among psychiatric outpatients were. 74.70 and 25.20% respectively. Prevalence of moderate and high risky use were 63.90 and 35.30% respectively. The most common type of substance that high-risk use pattern was amphetamine (53.52%) and tobacco (42.03%). Therefore, all psychiatric patients should be screened for substance use and results of this study can be used as information in the care plan for patients affected by substance use. And the study of guidelines for Create a specific treatment program to prevent re-use.