Cannabis-related psychiatric disorders accounted for 31.6% of psychiatric admissions at a South African mental health unit, equal to schizophrenia, making it the joint leading diagnosis.
Psychiatric service planners, South African health policymakers, and global mental health researchers.
31.6% of psychiatric admissions
What the researchers found
Schizophrenia (31.6%) and cannabis-related psychiatric disorders (31.6%) were tied as the most common reasons for psychiatric hospitalization, followed by bipolar type-1 disorder (21.9%) and alcohol-related disorders (15.5%). Most patients were male, single, and admitted involuntarily.
Why it matters
In a resource-limited setting where psychiatric beds are scarce, cannabis-related disorders consuming nearly a third of inpatient capacity has major implications for mental health service planning.
The numbers in context
186 patients with complete data; 58% male; 38% psychotic, 31% violent at admission; cannabis disorders 31.6% = schizophrenia 31.6% > bipolar 21.9% > alcohol 15.5%. Most (72.6%) were single; 45.7% had secondary education.
How the study worked
Retrospective cross-sectional audit of 186 psychiatric in-patient medical records at the East London Mental Health Unit, Eastern Cape, South Africa (January-December 2016).
What this study cannot tell us
Single-center study in one region of South Africa. Retrospective design relying on medical records. Cannot distinguish cannabis as cause versus co-occurring factor. Small sample (186).
How to read the evidence
Moderate: systematic chart review but single-center and retrospective.
When this study was published
Published in 2019.
The bigger picture
While cannabis-related psychiatric admissions are documented globally, the equal prevalence with schizophrenia in this South African setting is striking and may reflect both high cannabis potency in the region and limited outpatient mental health resources.
Questions still open
- What proportion of the cannabis-related admissions had underlying psychotic disorders that were unmasked by cannabis? Are cannabis-related psychiatric admissions increasing in this region?
Common questions
How common are cannabis-related psychiatric hospitalizations?
Does cannabis cause psychiatric hospitalization?
Read the original research
Demographic and clinical profiles of admitted psychiatric patients of the East London Mental Health Unit in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
Medicine, 98(52), e18399
Citation
Madala-Witbooi, Nombulelo J; Adeniyi, Oladele Vincent. (2019). Demographic and clinical profiles of admitted psychiatric patients of the East London Mental Health Unit in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.. Medicine, 98(52), e18399. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000018399
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