A retrospective study of the test results of substance users admitted to a tertiary care center

Abstract Background Substance use disorders have a negative impact on quality of life and are a common public health problem. The proportion of substance users can vary, and there are considerable disparities across nations and cities. Knowing the regional characteristics of substance use and risk groups will be important for the development of strategies for the prevention of addiction. This study aimed to investigate the spectrum of substance use and collect information on the age, gender, and multiple substance use patterns of substance users by substance abuse patients admitted to our center. Results The data from 11,941 drug abuse tests were reviewed, and data from 1879 people who were found to have substance use in the tests were included in the study. 87.3% of substance users were male. The substances used are listed as cannabis ( n = 957), amphetamines ( n = 769), synthetic cannabinoids ( n = 505), opioids ( n = 238), benzodiazepines ( n = 208), cocaine ( n = 93), and barbiturates ( n = 29). The proportion of amphetamine and benzodiazepine use was higher in women, while the proportion of cannabis and synthetic cannabinoid use was higher in men ( p < 0.001). It was found that 45% of substance users ( n = 845) had multiple substance use. Polysubstance users were found to use cannabis, amphetamines, and synthetic cannabinoids frequently. Conclusions The higher male majority in drug-positive test findings may be due to women’s greater barriers to substance use treatment compared to males. Furthermore, young adults are the primary source of drug abuse admissions, frequently using cannabis, synthetic cannabinoids, and amphetamines, often combined. Improved access to substance abuse treatment, particularly for women, is crucial, and tailored treatment approaches should be implemented to address the unique challenges of polysubstance use.