Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected persons suffering from substance use disorders (SUDs) all around the world. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in the number of SUD treatment episodes provided during the pandemic's peak, as well as SUD treatment providers' perceptions of the impact of COVID-19-related restrictions on people with SUDs and the delivery of SUD treatment services in South Africa.

Methods

We used administrative data collected as part of the South African Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (SACENDU) project to...

Summary

Substance use risks are significantly higher for people who obtain drugs on the unregulated market as there is no quality control and drug contents are unpredictable. This lack of predictability has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic as supply chains have been disrupted by border closures and safety measures. This leaves people who use drugs (PWUD) increasingly susceptible to consuming adulterated or unfamiliar substances. In some regions, COVID safety measures have also reduced capacity and access to services for PWUD, making it more difficult to prevent and address the health...

The Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) in partnership with the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, the Canadian Psychological Association and Canada Health Infoway, collected national data on the experience and perceptions of virtual services and supports, including education and access to health care or treatment.

COVID-19 safety restrictions drove the need for online and phone services to replace face-to-face counselling and supports. People using substances are experiencing virtual services differently depending on their age, gender and where they are in Canada. It was...

The high dropout rate (75%) in opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment among women and racial/ethnic minorities in the United States necessitates a better knowledge of the factors that contribute to treatment success. While therapy and medication for OUD are considered the top standard of care in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, many people with OUD receive just counseling or methadone-only therapies. This study compares gender inequalities in methadone-based treatment plan progress to counseling-based programs in one of the biggest SUD treatment systems in the United States.

The...