Citation

Hernández-Calle D, Andreo-Jover J, Curto-Ramos J, Martínez DG, Valor LV, Juárez G, Alcamí M, Ortiz A, Iglesias N, Bravo-Ortiz MF, Vega BR, Martínez-Alés G. Scand. J. Child Adolesc. Psychiatr. Psychol. 2021; 10(1): 53-57.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Psychiatric Research Unit, Region Zealand, Publisher Exeley)

DOI

10.2478/sjcapp-2022-0005

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Abstract
Introduction
Paediatric and adult psychiatric emergency department (ED) visits decreased during the initial COVID-19 outbreak. Long-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic will include increases in mental healthcare needs, especially among vulnerable groups such as children and adolescents.
Aim
This study examined changes in the number of overall and diagnosis-specific mental health ED visits among patients aged <18 years following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Madrid, Spain.
Methods
Using clinical records from all psychiatric ED visits at a major teaching hospital between October 2018 and April 2021, we conducted interrupted time-series analyses and compared trends before and after the day of the first ED COVID-19 case (1st March 2020).
Results
A total of 663 patients were included. In March 2020, there was a marked initial decrease of -12.8 (95% CI -21.9, - 7.9) less monthly mental health ED visits. After April 2020, there was a subsequent increasing trend of 3.4 (95% CI 2.6, 4.2) additional monthly mental health ED visits.
Conclusion
After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increase in paediatric psychiatric ED visits, especially due to suicide-related reasons. These data reinforce the crucial role of the ED in the management of acute mental health problems among youth and highlight the need for renovated efforts

Language: it