The use of illicit substances in adolescent schizophrenia inpatients

Illicit substance use is a common co-morbidity in adolescent-onset schizophrenia/schizoaffective patients. This study aimed to evaluate the rates of substance use among adolescent schizophrenia inpatients as compared to the general adolescent population. A total of 188 inpatients consecutively admitted to psychiatric adolescent inpatient unit were compared to a representative sample of 26,543 control adolescents screened for substance use by the Israel Anti-Drug Authority during the same time period. All illicit substances, except for opiates, were used in significantly higher rates by the inpatient sample. The distribution of the used psychoactive substances was different in the inpatient setting. Specific prevention and treatment programs must be developed in order to cope with this crucial clinical issue in these high-risk patients.