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Underdetection of comorbid drug use at acute psychiatric admission

Psychology Department, Torbay Hospital

David Jeffery, Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Kitson Hall, Torbay Hospital, Torquay TQ2 7AA

José Ruiz, Staff Grade in Psychiatry

Waverley House, Torquay

Stuart McLaren, Consultant Psychiatrist, Specialist in Addiction

Shrublands House, Torquay

Chris Gillespie, Consultant Psychiatrist

The Laurels, Newton Abbot Hospital

Declaration of interest

None.

AIMS AND METHOD

The ability of routine clinical practice to detect drug use at acute psychiatric admission was assessed by comparing the results of urinalysis with information on drug use extracted from patient records (n=112).

RESULTS

Urinalysis detected drug use in 23% of the sample. Cannabis was the drug most frequently found. Of the cases of drug use positively identified by urinalysis, 54% were not identified in the notes. Some information on drug use proximal to admission was found in 40% of patient records. Patients asked about proximal drug use were younger than those not asked.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

All patients should be asked about drug use.

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