Citation

Gesi C, Grasso F, Dragogna F, Vercesi M, Paletta S, Politi P, Mencacci C, Cerveri G. J. Clin. Med. 2021; 10(11).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, MDPI: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)

DOI

10.3390/jcm10112410

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The aim of the study was to describe the characteristics of subjects accessing the emergency rooms for suicidal behavior during the first epidemic wave of COVID-19 in three Emergency De-partments (EDs) in Lombardy (Italy). A retrospective chart review was conducted for the period 8 March-3 June 2020, and during the same time frame in 2019. For all subjects accessing for suici-dality, socio-demographic and clinical data were collected and compared between the two years. The proportion of subjects accessing for suicidality was significantly higher in 2020 than in 2019 (13.0 vs. 17.2%, p = 0.03). No differences between the two years were found for sex, triage priority level, history of substance abuse, factor triggering suicidality and discharge diagnosis. During 2020 a greater proportion of subjects did not show any mental disorders and were psychotropic drug-free. Women were more likely than men to receive inpatient psychiatric treatment, while men were more likely to be discharged with a diagnosis of acute alcohol/drug intoxication. Our study provides hints for managing suicidal behaviors during the still ongoing emergency and may be primary ground for further studies on suicidality in the course of or after massive infectious outbreaks. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; human; COVID-19; suicide; female; male; alcoholism; suicidal ideation; prevalence; Suicidal behavior; sex difference; Italy; suicide attempt; suicidal behavior; risk factor; sex; substance abuse; comparative study; antidepressant agent; anxiolytic agent; neuroleptic agent; retrospective study; drug intoxication; acute disease; automutilation; medical record; health care access; emergency health service; social status; psychiatric diagnosis; demography; hospital discharge; multicenter study; epidemic; mood stabilizer; Article; observational study; medical record review; psychiatric emergency service; prescription drug misuse; coronavirus disease 2019; SARS-CoV-2; First emergency care; Lombardy; Multicentric