Citation

Ng L, Narayanan N, Diamond D, Pitigala N. Australas. Psychiatry 2022; 30(2): 223-228.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/10398562211052918

PMID

34695363

PMCID

PMC8990568

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to identify service user demographic and clinical characteristics of an acute mental health service in South Auckland during the first New Zealand coronavirus-related lockdown.
METHOD: We conducted a clinical audit of a sample of service users presenting to a district health board's acute adult mental health service during New Zealand's level-4 lockdown in 2020 and made comparisons to a sample from 2019. We identified demographic factors, living situation, mode of referral, mode of assessment, diagnosis, substance use, risks, stressors, use of mental health act legislation and follow-up.
RESULTS: During the first level-4 lockdown fewer Ma¯ori were assessed, police referrals increased, specific stressors related to confinement were identified and there was an increase in risks relating to self-harm and harm to others.
CONCLUSION: Service users had unique stressors and changing patterns of presentation during the level-4 New Zealand lockdown. In response to the changing needs of service users during a pandemic, we recommend optimising telehealth, enhancing connections with other essential services, development of digital interventions and care for frontline staff.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Adult; COVID-19; New Zealand; mental health services; coronavirus; SARS-CoV-2; Pandemics; audit; Communicable Disease Control; service user