Evaluating a transitional housing program for people who use substances (PWUS) who experience homelessness and live with a mental health issue: a mixed-methods study protocol in Sudbury Ontario.

Background: A new transitional housing program was established in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, in response to the escalating global prevalence of substance use and homelessness, and the specific challenges faced in Northern Ontario. This protocol outlines a comprehensive program evaluation to assess its impact on patient outcomes, healthcare utilization, and client perspectives.

Methods: We will conduct a parallel mixed-method study that includes the analysis of single-center-level administrative health data and primary data collection.

The Patient Perspective of an Inpatient Addiction Medicine Unit Implemented in an Urban Northern Acute Care Hospital in Ontario, Canada.

Background: An Addiction Medicine Unit (AMU) represents a promising approach to enhancing hospital care for individuals who use substances, but there is limited research to understand patients' perspectives on AMUs. Therefore, the study objectives involved exploring patients' experiences with the AMU.

Methods: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 patients to gather their perspectives about the AMU.

Association of hospital-based substance use supports on emergency department revisits: a retrospective cohort study in Sudbury, Canada from 2018 to 2022.

Background: This study compares emergency department (ED) revisits for patients receiving hospital-based substance-use support compared to those who did not receive specialized addiction services at Health Sciences North in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.

Methods: The study is a retrospective observational study using administrative data from all patients presenting with substance use disorder (SUD) at Health Sciences North from January 1, 2018, and August 31, 2022 with ICD-10 codes from the Discharge Abstract Database (DAD) and the National Ambulatory Care Database (NACRS). There were two interventions under study: addiction medicine consult services (AMCS group), and specialized addiction medicine unit (AMU group).