Background/aims: Loneliness is a global public health concern with implications for healthcare systems. While people who use alcohol and other drugs (AODs) are known to experience high rates of loneliness, little is known about how loneliness relates to healthcare utilisation among people accessing treatment for AOD use. This study examines the association between loneliness and healthcare service utilisation among people attending residential rehabilitation.


Methods: Cross-sectional baseline data from N = 589 participants who participated in a feasibility study and/or randomised controlled trial, known as the Continuing Care Project. Binary logistic regression models examined associations between loneliness (high/low) and past 12-month healthcare service utilisation, adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical covariates.


Results: High loneliness was reported by 49% of participants. After adjusting for covariates, high loneliness was significantly associated with greater odds of accessing four out of nine healthcare services, including the hospital emergency department (AdjOR = 1.69, 95%CI [0.96, 2.14]), general practitioner (AdjOR = 2.29, 95%CI [1.31, 3.79]), mental health services (AdjOR = 1.97, 95%CI [1.27, 3.05]), and self-help and mutual aid groups (AdjOR = 2.17, 95%CI [1.44, 3.28]).


Conclusions: Findings highlight the complexity of loneliness and its intersections with mental health, physical health, quality of life satisfaction and healthcare service utilisation. Integrating targeted interventions into AOD treatment, alongside investing in preventative approaches should be prioritised to enhance recovery outcomes and ease burden on healthcare systems.