COVID 19—impact on substance use treatment utilisation and provision in South Africa
Background
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected persons suffering from substance use disorders (SUDs) all around the world. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in the number of SUD treatment episodes provided during the pandemic's peak, as well as SUD treatment providers' perceptions of the impact of COVID-19-related restrictions on people with SUDs and the delivery of SUD treatment services in South Africa.
Methods
We used administrative data collected as part of the South African Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (SACENDU) project...