Emergency department mental health presentations in young children: a retrospective chart review.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

To characterise key features of young people presenting to the emergency department (ED) with a mental health complaint when comparing children (aged 7 to 12 years) and teenagers (13 years and greater).

Methods

Retrospective review of all ED mental health presentations in children aged 7-17 years presenting over a 12-month period in 2018 to a tertiary children's hospital in Victoria, Australia. Univariate analyses were carried out to examine the relationship between children and teenagers and a number of key presentation variables. Odds Ratios (ORs) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) were calculated for ED management outcomes.

Results

There were 1691 ED mental health presentations in 2018. Of these presentations, 407 (24%) were children aged 12 years or less. The

SUBMITTER: Bourke EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11656674 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature