Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39996272›Full record

SynthesisThe Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry2025

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of alcohol and other drug use and problematic use among people accessing mental health treatment in Australia.

Christina Marel, Ewa Siedlecka, Jack Wilson, Sylvia Eugene Dit Rochesson, Daniel Chu, Alana Fisher, Katherine L Mills

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Christina MarelMatilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-1371-6986
Ewa SiedleckaMatilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Jack WilsonMatilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Sylvia Eugene Dit RochessonMatilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Daniel ChuMatilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Alana FisherMatilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Katherine L MillsMatilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Funding

Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. C.M. and K.L.MAustralian National Health and Medical Research Council FellowshipsAustralian National Health and Medical Research Council Postgraduate Scholarship
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveSubstance use and use disorders are elevated among people accessing mental health treatment, but the nature and patterns of use are unknown. The current study aimed to identify the prevalence of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use and problematic AOD use (i.e. hazardous, harmful, risky, misuse, abuse, dependence, disorder) in Australian mental health settings and conduct a meta-analysis of studies where sufficient data were available.

methodA systematic review of all papers published up to July 2023 identified 59 eligible studies reporting the prevalence of substance use, problematic use, and use disorders among people accessing mental health treatment in Australia. Overall, 55 studies provided sufficient data for a meta-analysis for past year use and problematic use of any AOD overall, alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, stimulants/amphetamines, and opioids.

resultsPooled prevalence estimates of past year use and problematic use among clients of mental health treatment settings varied (5%-58% and 7%-53%, respectively). Past year use and past year problematic use of tobacco were particularly prevalent (58% and 53%, respectively), as was cannabis (38% and 37%, respectively). Several key factors, including the type of mental health disorder, may explain some variation in prevalence estimates.

conclusionThe presence of co-occurring and problematic AOD use should be expected among a considerable proportion of clients of mental health treatment settings, and are a significant concern that services must be prepared to address. As such, screening and assessment of AOD use and use disorders should be part of routine clinical care, and clinicians should be familiar with evidence-based management and treatment strategies, including those that address tobacco.

Indexed as

Mental DisordersMental Health ServicesSubstance-Related DisordersAustraliaHumansPrevalencecomorbiditymental disorderPrevalencereviewsubstance use disorder

Identifiers

PMID39996272
PMCPMC11924294

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.