Hospitalizations

A high proportion of people with methamphetamine use disorder are hospitalized at least once a year, of which a majority also have mental health conditions or other comorbidities (Gryczynski 2016; Lindsay 2022).

Methamphetamine hospitalizations increased over the past decade and remains high in LAC (HCAI 2022).

Meth Hospitalizations in LAC

In LAC from 2012 to 2022, there were 192,012 hospitalizations that listed any methamphetamine abuse, dependence, use (including maternal use), or poisoning as a diagnosis or external-cause-of-injury (methamphetamine-related). Methamphetamine-related hospitalizations increased 107% from 2012 to 2022. By 2022, the annual total for methamphetamine-related hospitalizations was 19,607 cases (Figure 1). 

From 2016 to 2022, the most frequently reported diagnosis for methamphetamine-related hospitalizations was methamphetamine abuse (64.8%), followed by methamphetamine dependence (17.7%), methamphetamine use (15.5%), and methamphetamine poisoning (3.2%) (Figure 2).

A total of 10,195 hospitalizations, listed methamphetamine abuse, dependence, use (including maternal use), or poisoning as the principal diagnosis or principal external-cause-of-injury (primary). Primary methamphetamine hospitalizations increased by 119% from 2012 to 2019, then decreased 33% through 2022. By 2022, the annual total for primary methamphetamine hospitalizations was 820 cases (Figure 3). 

Diagnosis type for primary methamphetamine hospitalizations differed from that for all methamphetamine-related hospitalizations. Poisoning (33.7% vs. 3.2%) and dependence (34.7% vs. 17.7%) accounted for a much larger proportion (Figure 4). 

Demographics of Meth Hospitalizations

In 2012-2022, methamphetamine hospitalizations were largely comprised of patients aged 45-64 years (33%), followed by those aged 26-34 years (25%), and 35-44 years (24%) (Figure 5). The number of methamphetamine-related hospitalizations increased the most from 2012-2022 for children aged 0-11 years (1,408%), followed by older adults aged 65+ (595%), adults aged 45-64 years (173%), 35-44 years (125%), and 26-34 years (91%). From 2012-2022, methamphetamine-related hospitalizations decreased among youth aged 12-17 years by 55%, and by 19% among young adults aged 18-25 years (Figure 6).

Among primary methamphetamine hospitalizations, the age distribution was more even among middle aged adults aged 26-64 years, each accounting for about a quarter in 2012-2022 (Figures 7-8).  

Males accounted for over two-thirds (69%) of methamphetamine-related hospitalizations from 2012-2022. The gender disparity widened from males accounting for 65% in 2012 to 72% by 2022 (Figures 9-10). 

The gender distribution patterns were also observed for primary methamphetamine hospitalizations (Figures 11-12).  

Overall, Latinxs (43%) accounted for the largest proportion of methamphetamine-related hospitalizations, followed by Whites (33%), then Blacks (15%) (Figure 13). From 2012 to 2022, the proportions among Whites decreased from 42% to 27%, while those for Blacks increased from 11% to 17%, and remained relatively stable among Latinxs at around 43% (Figure 14).

Primary methamphetamine hospitalizations also followed these general race/ethnic distribution patterns (Figures 15-16).  

Economic Burden

Hospital Days

During 2012-2022, patients with a methamphetamine-related condition stayed in the hospital for an average of 6.0 days, accounting for total 1,161,194 hospital days.

Patients who were hospitalized for primary methamphetamine conditions stayed on average of 5.2 days, accounting for 52,664 hospital days.

(Note: Patients admitted and discharged on the same day were counted has having 1 day for their length of stay.)

Hospital Spending

In 2012-2022, the mean hospital charge for methamphetamine-related hospitalizations was $60,291 (adjusted for inflation to 2022 US dollars). The mean hospital charge increased 58% from 2012 to 2022. The annual total methamphetamine-related hospital spending increased 228% from about $427 million in 2012 to over $1.4 billion in 2022 (Figure 17).

For primary methamphetamine hospitalizations, the mean hospital charge was $49,758, and increased 56% during this period. Total spending for primary methamphetamine hospitalizations increased 130% from about $23 million in 2012 to nearly $53 million in 2022 (Figure 18). 

References

Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI, formerly OSHPD). Nonpublic Inpatient Discharge and Emergency Department data, 2012-2022.  California Department of Public Health.

Gryczynski, J., Schwartz, R. P., O’Grady, K. E., Restivo, L., Mitchell, S. G., & Jaffe, J. H. (2016). Understanding Patterns Of High-Cost Health Care Use Across Different Substance User Groups. Health affairs (Project Hope)35(1), 12–19. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2015.0618

Lindsay, A. R., Shearer, R. D., Bart, G., & Winkelman, T. N. A. (2022). Trends in Substance Use Disorder-related Admissions at a Safety-net Hospital, 2008 – 2020. Journal of addiction medicine16(3), 360–363. https://doi.org/10.1097/ADM.0000000000000896