Covid-19 Patients with First-Diagnosed Substance Use Disorders in Southern Thailand: A Study from a Field Hospital

Abstract

Objective: This retrospective study investigated usage patterns, withdrawal symptoms, and treatments provided to COVID-19 patients with first-diagnosed substance use disorders at a field hospital in southern Thailand in 2021.Material and Methods: The medical records of all COVID-19 patients were reviewed, and descriptive statistics were calculated and reported. The process of analyzing data was carried out by utilizing Program R.Results: Of the 2116 patients, 12.9% had a history of substance and/or alcohol use without any prior diagnosis. Most patients were male (94.9%), and the mean age was 31.7 years old. Tobacco and kratom were the substances most frequently used by COVID-19 patients. Withdrawal symptoms were observed in approximately half of all patients with substance use disorders, particularly those who used kratom and opioids. The most commonly reported withdrawal symptoms were insomnia and muscle aches, and chlorpromazine and amitriptyline were the most prescribed psychotropic medications. The majority of patients with substance use disorders (93.8%) did not report any complications related to their COVID-19 infection.Conclusion: This study found that 12.9% of COVID-19 patients admitted to a field hospital in southern Thailand in 2021 had a newly diagnosed substance use disorder. The substances most commonly used by these patients were tobacco and kratom. Approximately half of the patients with substance use disorders experienced withdrawal symptoms, and kratom and opioids were the substances most frequently associated with these withdrawal symptoms.