A retrospective chart review found high rates of positive drug screens among psychiatric emergency patients, highlighting the overlap between substance use and mental health crises.
Emergency medicine physicians, psychiatrists, substance use counselors, and hospital administrators.
High co-occurrenceSubstance use was commonly detected among patients presenting with psychiatric emergencies
What the researchers found
Substance abuse was common among patients presenting with psychiatric emergencies, with drug screens revealing significant rates of positive results across multiple substance categories.
Why it matters
Understanding the connection between substance use and psychiatric emergencies helps emergency departments better prepare for dual-diagnosis presentations and improve treatment protocols.
The numbers in context
The retrospective chart review examined positive drug screens among patients with psychiatric emergencies in an emerging urban county setting.
How the study worked
Retrospective chart review of drug screening results among psychiatric emergency patients.
Who was studied
Patients presenting with psychiatric emergencies at an urban county facility.
What this study cannot tell us
Retrospective design limits causal inference; single-site data may not generalize to other settings; drug screens detect presence but not levels or timing of use.
How to read the evidence
Retrospective chart review provides descriptive evidence; useful for identifying patterns but limited for establishing causation.
When this study was published
Reflects substance use patterns in an emerging urban setting.
The bigger picture
The high co-occurrence of substance use and psychiatric emergencies underscores the need for integrated mental health and substance use disorder treatment rather than treating these as separate conditions.
Replication
Consistent with existing literature on substance use in psychiatric emergency settings.
Funding
Not specified
Conflicts of interest
Not specified
Questions still open
- Which substances are most commonly associated with specific psychiatric presentations?
- Does substance-involved psychiatric emergency management differ from non-substance presentations?
- How do screening rates affect detection of co-occurring disorders?
Read the original research
Retrospective chart review of substance abuse in patients with psychiatric emergencies in an emerging urban county.
Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians open, 4(4), e13028
Citation
Koura, Simran; White, Avian; Masdon, Joshua; Brewer, Kori L; Parker-Cote, Jennifer L; Meggs, William J. (2023). Retrospective chart review of substance abuse in patients with psychiatric emergencies in an emerging urban county.. Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians open, 4(4), e13028. https://doi.org/10.1002/emp2.13028