Pre-injury methamphetamine use is associated with increased length of hospital stay in rural orthopaedic trauma patients.

Objectives: The primary focus of this study is to determine if rural methamphetamine positive patients experience longer hospital length of stays compared to urban methamphetamine positive patients following an orthopaedic trauma.

Methods: Patients presenting with traumatic orthopaedic injuries and urine drug screen were categorized into urban, suburban, and rural cohorts found in the Rural Urban Commuting Area codes based on home residence zip codes. Demographic, injury, hospital stay, and follow-up data were collected from the medical records. Comparisons between cohorts were determined by Chi square, Fisher exact, unpaired t-Tests, or ranked sum tests.

Design: A retrospective cohort analysis.

Setting: Academic Level I Trauma Center.

Patient Selection Criteria: Patient records were examined between January 2013 to January 2023 for a traumatic orthopaedic injury and a urine drug screen result at the time of presentation to an academic Level I trauma center.

Outcome Measures And Comparisons: Methamphetamine use status, patient age at time of admission, sex, marital status, insurance status, home zip code, orthopaedic injury location, complications, if the patient underwent surgery for orthopaedic injuries, admission date, discharge date, and discharge location were measured.

Results: 249 patients met inclusion criteria for this analysis. Methamphetamine positive patients are significantly more likely to be younger, more likely to have surgery for orthopaedic injuries, experience a medical complication, or be discharged to home or a rehabilitation facility compared to methamphetamine negative patients. Urban patients experienced a shorter length of stay compared to suburban and rural patients, regardless of methamphetamine use status. Patients with Medicare, military, workers compensation, or commercial insurance are significantly more likely to attend follow-up appointments than patients with Medicaid or self-pay.

Conclusions: Methamphetamine positive patients overall do not experience a longer length of hospital stay compared to methamphetamine negative patients. Rural methamphetamine positive patients experience a longer length of hospital stay compared to urban methamphetamine positive patients.