Sep 23, 2022 - Health
Drug treatment center admissions fell 23% during COVID
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Admissions to drug treatment facilities fell by more than 23% during the pandemic as substance use disorders and overdose deaths rose, a new analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows.
What they found: Almost every state saw fewer patients seek treatment during 2020 than in previous years.
- Native Americans accounted for the largest drop in admissions, and they also had the largest increase in overdose deaths during the pandemic.
- The authors noted more work is needed to examine reasons for the differences, including pandemic-driven shelter-in-place policies and bans on elective procedures.
