@article{ref1,
title="Mid-term psychiatric consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic: a 4 months observational study on emergency room admissions for psychiatric evaluation after the (first) lockdown period in Italy",
journal="Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology",
year="2022",
author="Beghi, Massimiliano and Ferrari, Silvia and Biondi, Laura and Brandolini, Riccardo and Corsini, Claudia and De Paoli, Giovanni and Sant'Angelo, Rosa Patrizia and Fraticelli, Carlo and Casolaro, Ilaria and Zinchuk, Mikhail and Pashnin, Evgenii and Urh, Lina and Castelpietra, Giulio and Cornaggia, Cesare Maria",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="The aim of our study is to evaluate the number and the features of admissions to the emergency room (ER) requiring psychiatric consultation, in the period between May 4th and August 31st 2020.   Methods  We carried out a retrospective longitudinal observational study examining the 4 months following the initial lockdown imposed during the COVID-19 outbreak (May 4th and August 31st 2020). More specifically, the ER admissions leading to psychiatric referral were reviewed at all seven public hospitals of AUSL Romagna (Emilia Romagna region, Italy). Socio-demographic variables, history of medical comorbidities or psychiatric disorders, reason for ER admission, psychiatric diagnosis at discharge, and actions taken by the psychiatrist were collected.   Results  An 11.3% (p = 0.007) increase in psychiatric assessments was observed when compared with the same period of the previous year (2019). A positive personal history of psychiatric disorders (OR:0.68, CI: 0.53-0.87) and assessments leading to no indication for follow-up (OR: 0.22, CI: 0.13-0.39) were significantly less frequent, while there was a significant increase of cases featuring organic comorbidities (OR: 1.24, CI: 1.00-1.52) and suicidal ideation/self-harm/suicide attempt (OR: 1,71, CI: 1.19-2.45) or psychomotor agitation (OR: 1.46, CI: 1.02-2.07) as reason for admission.   Conclusions  Our results showed an increase in ER psychiatric consultations compared to the previous year, underlying the increased psychological distress caused by the lockdown.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0933-7954",
doi="10.1007/s00127-022-02262-6",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00127-022-02262-6"
}