Substance Use Profiles in Nova Scotia's Mental Health Services
Author Information
Author(s): Soboka Matiwos, Tibbo Philip G., Stewart Sherry H., Simon Patryk, Wang JianLi
Primary Institution: Dalhousie University
Hypothesis
How does substance use vary based on gender, ethnicity, and income among clients seeking mental health and addiction services?
Conclusion
The study found a high prevalence of daily substance use among clients seeking mental health services, particularly among non-White men on social assistance.
Supporting Evidence
- 36.1% of clients reported daily substance use.
- 69.7% of homeless clients reported daily substance use.
- Non-White men on social assistance had a 60.9% prevalence of daily substance use.
- Polysubstance use was reported by 44.4% of clients.
- Young adults aged 19-29 had higher rates of substance use.
Takeaway
Many people seeking help for mental health issues in Nova Scotia use substances daily, especially those who are non-White and have low income.
Methodology
Cross-sectional study analyzing data from 22,500 adults who contacted mental health and addiction services.
Potential Biases
Potential underreporting of illegal substance use due to social desirability.
Limitations
The cross-sectional design limits causal inferences, and there may be social desirability bias affecting self-reported substance use.
Participant Demographics
Clients aged 19-64, including 6451 men, 8798 women, and 186 non-binary individuals.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 1.64, 4.30
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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