Original Research Prim Care Companion CNS Disord September 2024

Contextualizing the Relationship Between Social Isolation and Substance Abuse

PCC CNS Disord 2024;26(5):10.4088/PCC.23m03679

Full Article Read the complete peer-reviewed article in Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. Clinical Summary Social isolation is common in clinical practice, but its association with substance use disorder is easy to miss when patients present through general medical hospitalization rather than addiction treatment. This study highlights that hospitalized adults coded for social isolation had higher rates of smoking, alcohol use disorder, cannabis use disorder, stimulant use disorder, and opioid-related disorders, with important sex, race, and psychiatric comorbidity patterns. FAQ What did this study find about the link between social isolation and substance use disorder in hospitalized adults?

Key Takeaways Among 2,050 hospitalized adults coded for social isolation, substance use clustered most strongly in younger adults: patients aged 19 to 44 years made up 57.4% of the substance use group versus 41.8% of those without substance use. Clinical Guide How should clinicians evaluate hospitalized adults with documented social isolation for substance use and related psychiatric burden?