Factors Associated with Emergency Department Revisits among Psychiatric Patients with Substance Use Disorders at Thabo Crown Prince Hospital
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Mental health and substance use disorders represent significant public health concerns. Revisits to the emergency department among psychiatric patients with substance use disorders may indicate gaps in the continuity of care, as well as inadequate risk factor management, which can lead to increased burdens on patients, families, and on the healthcare system itself.
OBJECTIVE: To identify the factors associated with emergency department revisits among psychiatric patients with substance use disorders.
METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using the data from 60 medical records of psychiatric patients with substance use disorders, who had presented at the emergency department. The data was collected from March 2024 to February 2025 using a structured record form, which had been developed for this study and which had a content validity index of 0.89. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors that had been associated with the emergency department revisits. The magnitude of association was expressed as adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).
RESULTS: The findings indicated that being of the female gender (AOR=4.82, 95% CI=1.45-16.03, p=0.011), having had prior emergency department visits within the past 12 months (AOR=7.26, 95% CI=1.38-38.21, p=0.019), not adhering to the medication guidelines (AOR=9.84, 95% CI=2.12-45.67, p=0.003), and being absent from post-discharge follow-up care (AOR=11.53, 95% CI=2.18-61.02, p=0.004) had all been significantly associated with emergency department revisits.
CONCLUSIONS: The factors, which were associated with emergency department revisits among psychiatric patients with substance use disorders, were as follows: 1) being of the Female gender, 2) having had prior emergency department visits within the past 12 months, 3) not adhering to the medication guidelines, and 4) being absent from post-discharge follow-up care.
Thaiclinicaltrials.org number, TCTR20260420009
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