“Substance abuse worsens the course of schizophrenia, but it is not known whether or not there are differences between specific substances concerning their association with the hospitalizations of patients with schizophrenia.
The primary aims of this study were to examine the possible associations between amphetamine, cannabis, and opioid abuse, and the risk of hospitalizations among patients with schizophrenia.
The risk of hospitalizations was significantly higher for opioids when compared with amphetamine or cannabis.
Harmful use or dependence of opioids among patients with schizophrenia is associated with significantly higher risk of hospitalizations than either harmful use or dependence of amphetamine or cannabis.”