Magnitude of Substance Use & Associated Factors Among Adult Psychiatric Patients in Dilchora Referral Hospital and Hiwot Fana Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Substance use is one of the most serious and expanding public health issues in Ethiopia. People who suffer from psychiatric disorders are more likely than the general population to have substance use problems. Substance use has a negative effect on psychological health, leading to higher levels of addiction-related problems and poorer outcomes. The aim of the study was to assess the magnitude of substance use & associated factors among adult psychiatric patients in Dilchora Referral Hospital and Hiwot Fana Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Eastern Ethiopia.

Method: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June 2023 in Dilchora Referral Hospital and Hiwot Fana Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Eastern Ethiopia. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select 408 study participants. The data collection tool is adopted from previous studies and a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire and from standard tools. The collected data was entered into EpiData and then exported into SPSS version 23 statistical software for Windows for analysis. Then, binary logistic regression analysis was carried out to identify the association between dependent and independent variables at a CI of 95% and a significance level of P- value < 0.05. All variables with a P value < 0.25.

Results: A total of 408 psychiatric patients participated in the study, with a 100% response rate. The prevalence of substance use among the participants was 61% (249 individuals). Several factors were found to be significantly associated with substance use. These included being male (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 4.649; 95% CI: 2.352, 9.188), having a diagnosis of schizophrenia (AOR = 3.057; 95% CI: 1.372, 6.812), having a family history of substance use (AOR = 1.994; 95% CI: 1.075, 3.697), having friends who use substances (AOR = 5.995; 95% CI: 3.318, 10.834), and experiencing a relapse of mental illness (AOR = 3.694; 95% CI: 1.552, 8.795). These findings indicate that both individual and social factors play a significant role in substance use among psychiatric patients.

Conclusion: According to this study, the prevalence of substance use is high among facility-based surveys of psychiatric patients, suggesting the necessity of routine screening of substances for patients with psychiatric disorders.