Managing substance abuse on psychiatric units: a scoping review.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Substance use during psychiatric hospitalization compromises safety, treatment engagement, and post-discharge outcomes, but practical guidance for ward staff remains limited. This scoping review mapped the peer-reviewed literature on how psychiatric inpatient units detect, manage, and respond to alcohol or drug use that occurs on the ward itself, and summarized the effectiveness and breadth of reported strategies.

Methods

The review followed the PRISMA-ScR framework. PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar were searched from inception to April 2025 using controlled vocabulary and free-text terms for substance use, psychiatric inpatients, and management strategies. English- and French-language empirical studies, quality-improvement reports, policy evaluations,

SUBMITTER: Hudon A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12605133 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature