COVID-19 lockdown influence in the psychiatric emergencies: Drastic reduction and increase in severe mental disorders

Carrasco, Juan Pablo; Herraiz, Borja; Sanchez, Laura O.; Luengo, Ana; Fusalba, Oriol R.; Aguilar, Eduardo J.

doi:10.1016/j.rpsmen.2021.05.002

Cited by 6 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Even if most of the present ndings might be related to the government restrictions to movement and to the fear of contagion, our results are consistent with evidence from other countries, suggesting a plausible general effect of the COVID-19 crisis on severe mental illnesses; while a severe mental health crisis was expected [28,29], a general reduction in help-seeking behaviors [28][29][30][31] and psychiatric emergencies were found [14][15][16]27]. In line with previous Italian studies [22,23], although the described reduction in EDs psychiatric consultations was higher in the lockdown period, there was a persisting reduction in the post-lockdown period as well.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…To the best of our knowledge, this is the rst study evaluating ED access for psychiatric consultations in Italy before, during, and after the lockdown. Previous studies focused on the impact of the rst lockdown on EDs psychiatric consultations with data from a limited time frame [22,23,26,27], and no study has yet investigated the late phase of the pandemic and the long-term effects of prolonged exposure to the pandemic on psychiatric emergencies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Psychiatric emergencies during, after, and before the COVID-19 lockdown; what happened to our patients? A naturalistic observational study

Brandizzi¹,

Polselli

Corigliano³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Background: Despite concerns on mental health problems related to COVID19 lockdown, recent reports revealed a reduction in psychiatric admissions in Emergency Departments (ED) during the lockdown period compared with the previous year in several countries. Most of the existing studies focused on the first lockdown not considering the different phases of the COVID-19 crisis. The present study aimed to analyze differences in ED admission for psychiatric consultation during three different phases of the COVID-19 pandemia in Italy. Methods: Information on ED admission for psychiatric consultations were retrospectively collected at the ED of the Santo Spirito Hospital in Rome (Italy), and compared between the three periods: the lockdown (March - June 2020) and the post-lockdown period (June 2020 - June 2021) compared to the pre-lockdown (January 2019 - March 2020). Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the risk of accessing ED for psychiatric consultation before, during, after the lockdown. Results: 3,871 ED psychiatric consultations were collected. A significant reduction of psychiatric consultations in ED during the lockdown period and the post-lockdown (H: 762,45; p<0.001) was documented. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that compared to pre-lockdown during the lockdown and post-lockdown patients were more likely to be men (RRR: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.10 - 2.12) and more often diagnosed with non-severe mental illnesses (nSMI) (relative risk ratio [RRR]: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.10 - 2.15; and 1.72, 95% CI: 1.42 - 2.08); during the lockdown, patients were also more often diagnosed with alcohol/substance abuse (A&S) (RRR: 1.70; 95% CI: 1.10 - 2.65). Conclusions: Several changes in the clinical characteristics of psychiatric consultations during and after the lockdown emerged from the present study; nSMI and A&S abuse patients were more likely to present at the ED in the lockdown and post-lockdown periods while SMI patients appeared to be less likely. These may inform clinicians and future preventive strategies among community mental health services.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychiatric emergencies during, after, and before the COVID-19 lockdown; what happened to our patients? A naturalistic observational study

Brandizzi¹,

Polselli

Corigliano³

et al. 2022

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Namely, we found during the lockdown and post-lockdown compared to the pre-lockdown a remarkable drop (8%) of psychiatric consultation associated with SMIs that paralleled an increase of A&S abuse disorders particularly in the lockdown and of nSMI during the post-lockdown. Previous studies focused on the impact of the first lockdown on EDs psychiatric consultations with data from a limited time frame [22,23,26,27], and no study has yet investigated the late phase of the pandemic and the longterm effects of prolonged exposure to the pandemic on psychiatric emergencies. Even if most of the present findings might be related to the government restrictions to movement and to the fear of contagion, our results are consistent with evidence from other countries, suggesting a plausible general effect of the COVID-19 crisis on severe mental illnesses; while a severe mental health crisis was expected [28,29], a general reduction in helpseeking behaviors [28][29][30][31] and psychiatric emergencies were found [14][15][16]27].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies focused on the impact of the first lockdown on EDs psychiatric consultations with data from a limited time frame [22,23,26,27], and no study has yet investigated the late phase of the pandemic and the longterm effects of prolonged exposure to the pandemic on psychiatric emergencies. Even if most of the present findings might be related to the government restrictions to movement and to the fear of contagion, our results are consistent with evidence from other countries, suggesting a plausible general effect of the COVID-19 crisis on severe mental illnesses; while a severe mental health crisis was expected [28,29], a general reduction in helpseeking behaviors [28][29][30][31] and psychiatric emergencies were found [14][15][16]27]. In line with previous Italian studies [22,23], although the described reduction in EDs psychiatric consultations was higher in the lockdown period, there was a persisting reduction in the post-lockdown period as well.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychiatric emergencies during, after, and before the COVID-19 lockdown: what happened to our patients? A naturalistic observational study

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Despite concerns on mental health problems related to lockdowns, recent reports revealed a reduction in psychiatric admissions in Emergency Departments (ED) during the lockdown period compared with the previous year in several countries. Most of the existing studies focused on the first lockdown not considering the different phases of the COVID-19 crisis. The present study aimed to analyze differences in ED admission for psychiatric consultation during three different phases of the COVID-19 health crisis in Italy. Methods Information on ED admission for psychiatric consultations were retrospectively collected at the ED of the Santo Spirito Hospital in Rome (Italy), and compared between the three periods: the lockdown (March–June 2020) and the post-lockdown period (June 2020–June 2021) compared to the pre-lockdown (January 2019–March 2020). Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the risk of accessing ED for psychiatric consultation before, during, after the lockdown. Results Three thousand and eight hundred seventy-one ED psychiatric consultations were collected. A significant reduction of psychiatric consultations in ED during the lockdown period and the post-lockdown (H 762,45; p < 0.001) was documented. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that compared to pre-lockdown during the lockdown and post-lockdown patients were more likely to be men (RRR 1.52; 95% CI 1.10–2.12) and more often diagnosed with non-severe mental illnesses (nSMI) (relative risk ratio [RRR] 1.53, 95% CI 1.10–2.15; and 1.72, 95% CI 1.42–2.08); during the lockdown, patients were also more often diagnosed with alcohol/substance abuse (A&S) (RRR 1.70; 95% CI 1.10–2.65). Conclusions: several changes in the clinical characteristics of psychiatric consultations during and after the lockdown emerged from the present study; nSMI and A&S abuse patients were more likely to present at the ED in the lockdown and post-lockdown periods while SMI patients appeared to be less likely. These may inform clinicians and future preventive strategies among community mental health services.

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“…5 As COVID-19 lockdown restrictions started to ease, there was an overall positive percentage change in weekly admissions in period B compared with period A, with the exception of weeks 12 and 14. Many studies from Europe, Australia, and the United States also have demonstrated a decline in psychiatric emergencies and outpatient visits during the COVID-19 lockdown 11,13,[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] and an increase in visits after the gradual lifting of lockdown restrictions. 25,26 Given that the pandemic has been associated with increased stress and mental illness, 27,28 this finding raises questions as to how people were coping with mental illness during the lockdown and whether they were able to use other resources, such as telemedicine, for treatment, if available.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Retrospective Study of Psychiatric Hospitalizations in a West Texas Mental Health Treatment Facility during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Kim

Rao

Collins

et al. 2023

Southern Medical Journal

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This retrospective study compared the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of inpatient psychiatric admissions in a west Texas behavioral health treatment facility before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. The treatment facility serves the Texas panhandle and its surrounding rural regions. Results showed that the pandemic was significantly associated with a longer length of hospital stay and an increase in admissions with a documented history of psychiatric medication use and substance use, as well as suicidal ideation/behavior. Significant differences also were found in employment status, living situation, and ethnicity between the prepandemic and pandemic periods.

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COVID-19 lockdown influence in the psychiatric emergencies: Drastic reduction and increase in severe mental disorders

Cited by 6 publications

References 12 publications

Psychiatric emergencies during, after, and before the COVID-19 lockdown; what happened to our patients? A naturalistic observational study

Psychiatric emergencies during, after, and before the COVID-19 lockdown; what happened to our patients? A naturalistic observational study

Psychiatric emergencies during, after, and before the COVID-19 lockdown: what happened to our patients? A naturalistic observational study

Retrospective Study of Psychiatric Hospitalizations in a West Texas Mental Health Treatment Facility during the COVID-19 Pandemic

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