The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic not only impacts physical healthcare

The ongoing CORONA pandemic not only impacts physical healthcare, but also mental healthcare, including addiction care. Impact on addiction care relates to altered practices in line with regulations mitigating the spread of the virus, effects of lockdown policies on patients with addictive disorders and altered trends in substance use and substance misuse as a consequence of prevention policies.

The aim of the current paper was to identify impact of the corona virus pandemic on addiction care at a country level. The group, led by Arnt Schellekens, in collaboration with the international Network of Early Career Professionals working in Addiction Medicine (NECPAM) published results of an international inventory in Frontiers in Psychiatry in March 2021.

In many countries, in-person meetings have been limited, through shifting to online treatment services. Several potential negative effects associated with the Corona pandemic were identified, including increased risk of unintended withdrawal syndromes with associated health risks, limited access to addiction care and mental health services, and trends of increased use of psychoactive substances, with subsequent increased incidence of addictive disorders, specifically gambling and gaming disorders.

The identified concerns are in line with recent findings of a global survey indicating that among 130 countries, 60% reported disruptions in mental health services for vulnerable people, 67% reported disruptions in availability of counseling and psychotherapy, 35% reported disruptions in emergency interventions, and 30% reported disruptions in access for medications for mental, and substance use disorders. The combination of a reduction in the availability of services, increased reliance on telemedicine, physical distancing protocols, and travel restrictions may exacerbate health inequalities, disproportionately affecting the most marginalized and socioeconomically disadvantaged patients who may lack access to internet-enabled devices, and skills to engage in telemedicine. With this paper the researchers want to draw attention to this specifically vulnerable group of patients that should not be overlooked in the current worldwide pandemic.

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