Authors:
- Ivan Kasić – Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Clinic for Psychiatry
- Tanja Grahovac Juretić – Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Clinic for Psychiatry, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine
- Fadil Habibović – Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Clinic for Psychiatry, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Health Studies
- Aleksandra Stevanović – Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Clinic for Psychiatry, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Health Studies
- Klementina Ružić – Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Clinic for Psychiatry, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine
- Elizabeta Dadić-Hero – Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Clinic for Psychiatry, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine
Article type:
Original Scientific Paper
Abstract:
Introduction
Polytoxicomania is an increasingly prevalent psychiatric condition within hospital psychiatric treatment. The aim of this study was to examine the frequency of polytoxicomania at the Psychiatry Clinic of the Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka in relation to gender, age, education, and frequency of use of treatment measures.
Subjects and Methods
In a retrospective study conducted in two periods, from 01/01/2014 to 31/12/2014 and from 01/01/2019 to 31/12/2019, data were collected through the Integrated Hospital Information System for 143 subjects from Diagnostic Group F19 – Mental and behavioral disorders caused by the use of multiple drugs or other psychoactive substances, who were treated at the Psychiatry Clinic of the Clinical Hospital Center Rijeka (60 in 2014 and 83 in 2019).
Results
In 2019, a higher number of patients with polytoxicomania was recorded compared to the same period five years earlier, with the male to female ratio in both periods being 3.5:1. Women diagnosed with polytoxicomania had lower educational status than men in 2014, but not five years later. Women with polytoxicomania were significantly more often hospitalized and more likely to be diagnosed with mood disorder and schizoid disorder compared to men.
Conclusion
The concerning upward trend of hospitalizations due to polytoxicomania is present in both genders, making it extremely important to identify this problem early in the community and raise awareness through various preventive actions and programs.
Keywords:
addiction, hospitalization, polytoxicomania