Referral patterns and clinical characteristics of subjects referred to substance abuse clinic of a regional hospital in Hong Kong
Publication Details
Tang, A., Liang, H. J., Ungvari, G. S., Tang, W. K. (2011). Referral patterns and clinical characteristics of subjects referred to substance abuse clinic of a regional hospital in Hong Kong. East Asian Archives of Psychiatry, 21(1), 22-27.
Abstract
Objectives: To examine the clinical characteristics of subjects referred to the Substance Abuse Clinic of the Prince of Wales Hospital between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2009 in Hong Kong.
Methods: A chart review of 131 subjects referred to the Substance Abuse Clinic during the study period was carried out. Psychiatric diagnoses were made by a psychiatrist, according to the 10th edition of the International Classification of Diseases.
Results: Social workers were increasingly a main source of referrals, accounting for 34% of referrals during the entire study period (and 43% in 2009). Another important referral source was the Hospital Authority system in Hong Kong, which accounted for 38% of referrals over the 3-year study period. Ketamine, methamphetamine, and cough mixtures were the most common drugs of primary misuse, the proportion of users being 34%, 24% and 12%, respectively. In these referals, the most common psychiatric diagnosis was substance-induced psychotic disorder, followed by depressive disorder, made in 44% and 22% of the subjects, respectively.
Conclusions: Among Hong Kong substance abusers, psychotic and depressive disorders are common, and ketamine is the most commonly misused drug.
Keywords
peer-reviewed
