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Factors Influencing the Frequency of Emergency Department Utilization by Individuals with Substance Use Disorders

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Abstract

This study assessed the characteristics of individuals with substance use disorders (ISUDs) according to their frequency of emergency department (ED) utilization, and examined which variables were associated with an increase in ED visits using Andersen’s model. Data linkage of administrative databanks from three sources [addiction rehabilitation centre registry, physician billing systems, and hospital discharge databank] for 4526 ISUDs was performed. Predisposing, enabling and need factors associated with number of ED visits were determined using a negative binomial regression model and generalised estimating equations. The rate of ED utilization for this population was 9.6 %. Increased number of ED visits was associated with the following variables: older age, social fragmentation, number of consultations with general practitioners, number of consultations with psychiatrists, number of consultations with other types of physicians, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, co-occurring substance dependence and mental disorders, co-occurring substance dependence and chronic physical disorders, and co-occurring mental health disorders and chronic physical disorders. By contrast, a diagnosis of substance dependence, co-occurring drug and alcohol abuse, and a co-occurring diagnosis of substance dependence with mental health and chronic physical disorders decreased ED visits. Efforts to reduce avoidable use of EDs should focus on chronic-disease management and other related strategies aimed at reinforcing services to ISUDs in the community, especially for ISUDs with a co-occurring diagnosis of either mental health disorders or chronic physical disorders.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank André Ngamini Ngui for his work on this research project and Judith Sabetti for the English editing of this manuscript. This study was funded by Mitacs-Accelerate (Fund Number # 240,577).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre de réadaptation en dépendance de Montréal - Institut universitaire, 950, rue de Louvain Est, Montreal, QC, H2M 2E8, Canada

    Christophe Huynh & Marie-Josée Fleury

  2. Centre de réadaptation en dépendance de Québec, 2525, chemin de la Canardière, Quebec, QC, G1J 2G3, Canada

    Francine Ferland & Nadine Blanchette-Martin

  3. Centre de réadaptation en dépendance de Chaudière-Appalaches, 419, Dorimène-Desjardins, Lévis, QC, G6V 5V3, Canada

    Francine Ferland & Nadine Blanchette-Martin

  4. Centre de réadaptation en dépendance Domrémy-de-la-Mauricie-Centre-du-Québec, 440 rue des Forges, Trois-Rivières, QC, G9A 2H5, Canada

    Jean-Marc Ménard

  5. Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute Research Centre, Quebec, Canada

    Marie-Josée Fleury

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  1. Christophe Huynh
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  2. Francine Ferland
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Correspondence to Christophe Huynh.

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Huynh, C., Ferland, F., Blanchette-Martin, N. et al. Factors Influencing the Frequency of Emergency Department Utilization by Individuals with Substance Use Disorders. Psychiatr Q 87, 713–728 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-016-9422-6

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