Methamphetamine-involved psychiatric hospitalizations have increased, study says

AURORA, Colo. (August 16, 2024) – A new study, out now in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, that details trends among psychiatric hospitalizations between 2015-2019 finds that while most hospitalizations did not involve any substances, methamphetamine-related hospitalizations have increased while overall number of psychiatric hospitalizations remained stable.

Additionally, researchers detail that psychiatric hospitalizations caused by methamphetamine use were highest in the Mountain West region but were also shifting geographically. “Rates of methamphetamine-involved psychiatric hospitalizations with were by far the highest in the Mountain West. As expected, this mirrors rates of self-reported methamphetamine use and methamphetamine-related overdose deaths in the Mountain West.” says Susan Calcaterra, MD, MPH, professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and study lead author. “Psychiatric hospitalizations involving methamphetamine use is really taking off in the Midwest and Northeast, in particular.”

While rates of methamphetamine-related psychiatric hospitalizations increased 68% over the study period, opioid-related hospitalizations decreased by 22%. Methamphetamine rate increases may be attributed to methamphetamines ubiquitousness and affordability, as well as the lack of resources available to manage methamphetamine use.  Why opioid-involved psychiatric hospitalizations declined is less clear but may be related to the lethality of fentanyl.

“An important takeaway from this study is the need for resources to address the mental and physical treatment of methamphetamine use,” says Calcaterra.

“While the vast majority of psychiatric hospitalizations in this timeframe did not involve substance use, the significant increase in methamphetamine use means we have to better consider harm reduction in clinical settings. Evidence-based interventions such as contingency management which involves offering incentives for abstinence, harm reduction education, provision of naloxone for overdose reversal and access to expanded mental health treatments are proven to help mitigate dangerous effects from methamphetamine use, especially when contaminated with fentanyl much like the campaigns aimed at public awareness around opioid use.”

About the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is a world-class medical destination at the forefront of transformative science, medicine, education and patient care. The campus encompasses the University of Colorado health professional schools, more than 60 centers and institutes, and two nationally ranked independent hospitals – UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital Colorado – which see more than 2 million adult and pediatric patient visits yearly. Innovative, interconnected and highly collaborative, the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus delivers life-changing treatments, patient care and professional training and conducts world-renowned research fueled by $705 million in research grants. For more information, visit www.cuanschutz.edu.