Evaluating the association between COVID-19 and psychiatric presentations, suicidal ideation in an emergency department.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To estimate the association between COVID-19 and Emergency Department (ED) psychiatric presentations, including suicidal ideation.

Methods

Using an interrupted time series design, we analyzed psychiatric presentations using electronic health record data in an academic medical center ED between 2018 and 2020. We used regression models to assess the association between the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak and certain psychiatric presentations. The period February 26-March 6, 2020 was used to define patterns in psychiatric presentations before and after the coronavirus outbreak.

Results

We found a 36.2% decrease (unadjusted) in ED psychiatric consults following the coronavirus outbreak, as compared to the previous year. After accounting for underlying trends, our

SUBMITTER: McDowell MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8244888 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature