What Brings You in Today? Sex, Race, Substance Type, and Other Sociodemographic and Health-Related Characteristics Predict if Substance Use is the Main Reason for a Clinical Encounter

Background: Substance-related diagnoses (SRDs) are a common healthcare presentation. This study identified sociodemographic and health-related characteristics associated with having an SRD as the primary reason for a clinical encounter compared to those with an SRD who are treated for other reasons. Methods: Electronic health record (EHR) data on patients with an SRD (n=12,358, ages 18-90) were used to assess if an SRD was the primary reason for a clinical encounter from January 1, 2012-January 1, 2018. Patients were matched on key demographic characteristics at a 1:1 ratio. Adjusting for covariates, odds ratios, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Results: In the matched cohort of 8,630, most reported male sex (65.8%), White race (70.0%), and single marital status (62.7%) with a mean age of 47.2 (SD=14.6). Patient reported female sex, Black race, age 70+, married status, and low-income (<$50,000) were associated with a lower likelihood of presenting to care for an SRD as the primary reason for a clinical encounter. A nicotine-, alcohol-, opioid-, or stimulant-related diagnosis was associated with a higher likelihood of presenting to care for an SRD as the primary reason for the clinical visit. Conclusion: This is the first study to investigate whether sociodemographic and health-related characteristics were associated with having an SRD as the primary reason for a clinical encounter. Using rigorous methods, we investigated a unique clinical question adding new knowledge to predictors of patients seeking clinical care. Understanding these predictors can help us better align service provision with population needs and inform new approaches to tailoring care.