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Published on: August 4, 2022
COVID-19 outcomes among individuals with substance use disorders
Chun-Pin Esther Chang1, Daniel Knox2, Zhe David Yu3
1Division of Public Health, Department of Family & Preventive Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
Objectives:
Individuals with substance use disorders may be more susceptible to COVID-19 outcomes due to damage in their immune, pulmonary and respiratory systems. The aim of our study is to investigate COVID-19 outcomes among individuals with a history of substance use disorders compared to individuals without substance use disorders.
Study Design:
This study was a population-based cohort study.
Methods:
Using the Utah Population Database, individuals with substance use disorder history (2015-2020; n = 227,277) were individually matched by age and sex to individuals without substance use disorders (n = 227,277). COVID-19 outcomes from 2020 to 2023 were assessed with conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results:
Individuals with substance use disorders had higher odds of hospitalization (OR: 2.90, 95% CI: 2.78-3.02), ICU admission (OR: 2.92, 95% CI: 2.72-3.13), all-cause death (OR: 2.94, 95 % CI: 2.81-3.08), and COVID-19-specific death (OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.14-1.57). The ORs for COVID-19 outcomes were similar for individuals with alcohol use disorders and opioid use disorders.
Conclusions:
COVID-19 outcomes were strongly associated with substance use disorders, highlighting the need for targeted health strategies for individuals with substance use disorders.
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