Nonprescribed Substance Use in the General Hospital: A Retrospective Study

Our study characterizes a population of people who exhibited behaviors concerning for NPSU and highlights key outcome disparities. To our knowledge, this study is the first to show a direct correlation between infectious disease diagnosis and NPSU, as well as a direct correlation between suspected NPSU and outcomes such as before medically advised discharge and discharge without medications for opioid use disorder, irrespective of infectious disease diagnosis. Further study is necessary to determine interventions to reduce poor outcomes among hospitalized patients with NPSU.