Objective: To investigate demographic/cinical variables associated to dual diagnosis and the psychological reaction of dual-diagnosis patients to COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: Information was collected at the Addiction Service of Monza, Italy. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), a self-report questionnaire measuring the subjective response to a traumatic event, was administered. Univariate analyses and binary logistic regression were performed. IES-R scores were compared between groups defined by qualitative variables through one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA).
Results: 118 outpatients were included, 48.3% with dual diagnosis. Alcohol use disorder and being female were associated to dual diagnosis. IES-R scores were significantly higher in the dual-diagnosis group, especially for personality disorders (PDs). IES-R scores were higher in patients taking treatment for substance use disorder (SUD).
Conclusions: Females and alcohol abusers were at-risk subjects for dual diagnosis. Patients with SUD and PDs may benefit from additional support, especially when traumatic life events occur.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04694482.
Keywords: COVID-19; Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD); Substance Use Disorder (SUD); dual diagnosis clinical factors; psychiatric comorbidity.