Nearly four out of five patients who sought treatment under addiction specialists at Mount Carmel Hospital last year reported use of cocaine, recent research shows.
Two out of every five meanwhile said they used heroin and a fourth reported cannabis, according to the data collected by psychiatry specialist trainee Martha Anne Apap Bologna.
Earlier this year, the police said 2022 was a record year for the seizure of cocaine as the drug continues to grow in popularity in Malta.
NGOs providing drug rehabilitation services had already warned that nearly a third of those in treatment reported cocaine as the drug that created most problems for them.
For her study, Apap Bologna aimed at assessing trends among people suffering from substance use disorder who sought admission to Mount Carmel throughout 2022 and who were admitted under the care of addiction specialists.
These admissions amounted to 15 per cent of all admissions to Mount Carmel in 2022. Cocaine was the most reported substance of abuse among this group of people, with 83 per cent of male and 67 per cent of female admissions disclosing cocaine use.
This was followed by heroin use, encountered in 48 per cent of male and 35 per cent of female inpatients. Cannabis use was reported by 32 per cent of male and 13 per cent of female admissions.
Apap Bologna, who collected the data with the help of Michael Pio Cilia and under the supervision of Kristian Sant, will be presenting her findings and elaborate on the data at this year’s conference by the Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
She notes that although her study focuses on adult admissions, understanding the patterns of substance use in the Maltese population, particularly where it relates to mental health care needs, may help inform care and counsel to children and adolescents who may either be related to people using substances or may be using substances themselves.
Additionally, adolescence marks the point of entry into substance use for many individuals who suffer from substance use disorder, presenting a window of opportunity for care and intervention.
She adds that it will also be interesting to monitor the impact of the recent legalisation of cannabis use on local use trends.
The ACAMH conference, entitled Bullying and beyond: the link with mental health, is being held on Thursday and Friday and will include the participation of local and international experts.
In 2021, the Malta National Study on Mental Health and Emotional Well-being showed a significant relationship between bullying and the mental health status of young people.
The conference aims to explore predisposing factors and psychological underpinnings that may lead people to become bullies or victims.
Look up the Facebook page The Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health - ACAMH Malta for more information about the event.