Shyh-Yuh Wei

Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.

2 papers in the library · 2 citations · publishing 2025

Papers

Detection of hidden populations using illicit substances.

Journal of epidemiology and community health April 23, 2025 Shyh-Yuh Wei, Brian Meng-Hsun Li, Hsuan-Yun Hu et al. 1 citation

Hidden populations of people who use illicit drugs—those without arrest records—are much larger than official records suggest. In Taiwan, linking drug-related autopsy and police arrest data from 2010–2019 showed that for every registered (arrested) heroin user, there were 0.7 unregistered users; for methamphetamine, 2.2; for ecstasy, 14.8; for ketamine, 4.9; and for new psychoactive substances (NPS), 174.0. Unregistered individuals were younger, more often female, employed, and had higher blood alcohol levels. About 79% of polydrug use detected at autopsy occurred among unregistered individuals, and 10% had other substance use records differing from those found at death. The approach offers a way to estimate hidden populations, and clinicians should consider possible polydrug use even when single-substance tests are negative.

DOI: 10.1136/jech-2025-223903 Full text Substance use disorder Accidents Epidemiology Hiv +8

Using cluster analysis to investigate consumption patterns in cases positive to ketamine: a national 7-year study.

Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology March 14, 2025 Shyh-Yuh Wei, Chien-Chou Su, Hsuan-Yun Hu et al. 1 citation

Ketamine use is rising, but how people actually consume it and how it contributes to death is not well understood. An analysis of 414 people who tested positive for ketamine at autopsy in Denmark from 2013 to 2019 identified four main consumption patterns. The most common pattern was ketamine combined with alcohol (49.5% of cases), followed by ketamine with new psychoactive substances (39.1%) and ketamine with methamphetamine (24.4%). Drug intoxication was the leading cause of death, followed by traffic accidents. One pattern—moderate ketamine levels with frequent polydrug use—was linked to higher suicide risk, while another—very low ketamine levels but also frequent polydrug use—was linked to higher accident risk.

DOI: 10.1007/s00210-025-04019-9 Full text Substance abuse Drug interactions Addiction research Toxicology +6