Morbidity associated with amphetamine‐related presentations to an emergency department: A record linkage study

Abstract

Abstract Objective Amphetamine use is a global public health problem. We examined hospitalisations in a cohort of 138 patients who presented with an amphetamine‐related problem to an ED in 2005. Methods A record linkage study, using the morbidity, ED and mortality databases in the D ata L inkage U nit of the D epartment of H ealth, W estern A ustralia. The main outcome measures were hospital separations and length of stay ( LOS ) 5 years before and 4 years after entry into the cohort. Results One hundred and thirty patients (94%) with an amphetamine‐related presentation had a link with the hospital morbidity dataset. The most common diagnosis before and after cohort entry was mental disorders (before: F 00‐ F 99; 405 separations, total LOS 2570 days; after: 309 separations, total LOS 3671 days). Injury and poisoning was the next most common in both time periods. Men had an increased relative risk ( RR ) for all days of psychiatric care ( RR 2.12, 95% CI 1.04–4.35). After adjusting for age and sex, the highest risks of increased LOS occurred within 1 year before ( RR 2.22, 95% CI 1.01–4.91) and 2 years post entry into the cohort ( RR 4.21, 95% CI 1.87–9.46 and RR 2.82, 95% CI 1.25–6.34). There were four (2.9%, 95% CI 0.9–7.7%) deaths, which occurred within 2 years post cohort entry. Conclusion Amphetamine‐related presentations to the ED are associated with a significant cluster of hospitalisations around that episode. This is most prominent for psychiatric diagnoses, with a large increase in the total LOS in the year following cohort entry. Counselling less risky behaviour might decrease the burden of illness.