Mental Health Emergency Department Visits by Children Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
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ABSTRACT: Objectives
To describe pediatric mental health emergency department (ED) visit rates and visit characteristics before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods
We conducted a cross-sectional study of ED visits by children 5-17 years old with a primary mental health diagnosis from March 2018 to February 2021 at a 10-hospital health system and a children's hospital in the Chicago area. We compared demographic and clinical characteristics of children with mental health ED visits before and during the pandemic. We conducted an interrupted time series analysis to determine changes in visit rates.Results
We identified 8,127 pediatric mental health ED visits (58.5% female, 54.3% White, Not Hispanic/Latino and 42.4% age 13-15). During the pandemic, visits for suicide or self-injury increased 6.69% (95% CI 4.73, 8.65), and visits for disruptive, impulse control, conduct disorders increased 1.94% (95% CI 0.85, 3.03). Mental health ED visits by children with existing mental health diagnoses increased 2.29% (95% CI 0.34, 4.25). Mental health ED visits that resulted in medical admission increased 4.32% (95% CI 3.11, 5.53). The proportion of mental health ED visits at community hospitals increased by 5.49% (95% CI 3.31, 7.67). Mental health ED visit rates increased at the onset of the pandemic (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] 1.27, 95% CI 1.06, 1.50), followed by a monthly increase thereafter (aIRR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02, 1.06).Conclusion
Mental health ED visit rates by children increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Changes in mental health ED visit characteristics during the pandemic may inform interventions to improve children's mental health.
SUBMITTER: Shankar LG
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9164513 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep-Oct
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Mental Health Emergency Department Visits by Children Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Shankar Lavanya G LG Habich Michele M Rosenman Marc M Arzu Jennifer J Lales George G Hoffmann Jennifer A JA
Academic pediatrics 20220603 7
<h4>Objectives</h4>To describe pediatric mental health emergency department (ED) visit rates and visit characteristics before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted a cross-sectional study of ED visits by children 5-17 years old with a primary mental health diagnosis from March 2018 to February 2021 at a 10-hospital health system and a children's hospital in the Chicago area. We compared demographic and clinical characteristics of children with mental health ED visits befo ...[more]
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Project description:PurposeThe purpose of this study was to compare pre/post-COVID-19 changes in mental health-related emergency department visits among adolescents.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of all mental health-related emergency department visits in two large tertiary pediatric hospital centers between January 2018 and December 2020. We described monthly pre/post-COVID-19 changes in frequency and proportion of mental health visits as well as changes in hospitalization rates for eating disorders, suicidality, substance use, and other mental health conditions.ResultsWe found an increase in the proportion of mental health-related emergency department visits during the months of July-December 2020 (p < .01). There was a 62% increase in eating disorder visits between 2018-2019 and 2020 (p < .01). No pre pandemic/postpandemic changes were found in the proportion of visits resulting in hospitalization for any of the four diagnostic categories.ConclusionsOur study suggests significant impacts of COVID-19 on adolescent mental health and a need for further longitudinal research work in this area.
| S-EPMC8421028 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ImportanceNumerous studies have shown that the prevalence of mental health (MH) conditions worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further research is needed on this phenomenon over a longer time horizon that considers the increasing trend in MH conditions before the pandemic, after the pandemic onset, and after vaccine availability in 2021.ObjectiveTo track how patients sought help in emergency departments (EDs) for non-MH and MH conditions during the pandemic.Design, setting, and participantsThis cross-sectional study used administrative data on weekly ED visits and a subset of visits for MH from the National Syndromic Surveillance Program from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2021. Data were reported from the 10 US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regions (Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Denver, San Francisco, and Seattle) for five 11-week periods. Data analysis was performed in April 2023.Main outcomes and measuresWeekly trends in total ED visits, mean MH-related ED visits, and proportion of ED visits for MH conditions were investigated to determine changes in each measure after the pandemic onset. Prepandemic baseline levels were established from 2019 data, and time trends of these patterns were examined in the corresponding weeks of 2020 and 2021. A fixed-effects estimation approach with weekly ED region data by year was used.ResultsThere were 1570 total observations in this study (52 weeks in 2019, 53 weeks in 2020, and 52 weeks in 2021). Statistically significant changes in non-MH and MH-related ED visits were observed across the 10 HHS regions. The mean total number of ED visits decreased by 45 117 (95% CI, -67 499 to -22 735) visits per region per week (39% decrease; P = .003) in the weeks after the pandemic onset compared with corresponding weeks in 2019. The mean number of ED visits for MH conditions (-1938 [95% CI, -2889 to -987]; P = .003) decreased significantly less (23% decrease) than the mean number of total visits after the onset of the pandemic, increasing the mean (SD) proportion of MH-related ED visits from 8% (1%) in 2019 to 9% (2%) in 2020. In 2021, the mean (SD) proportion decreased to 7% (2%), and the mean number of total ED visits rebounded more than that of mean MH-related ED visits.Conclusions and relevanceIn this study, MH-related ED visits demonstrated less elasticity than non-MH visits during the pandemic. These findings highlight the importance of addressing the provision of adequate MH services, both in acute and outpatient settings.
| S-EPMC10336606 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ImportancePrevious research has assessed changes in pediatric and adolescent health care utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, less is known regarding how the pandemic affected adolescents' use of emergency care, specifically for mental health (MH).ObjectiveTo determine how adolescents (ages 12-17 years), compared with other age groups, sought help in emergency departments (EDs) in general and for MH conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design and settingIn this cross-sectional study, National Syndromic Surveillance Program data and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Mental Health, version 1, query were used to track patterns in weekly adolescent ED visits by region across the 10 US Department of Health and Human Services regions from January 2019 through December 2021. Data analysis was performed in April and May 2023.Main outcomes and measuresTotal ED visits, MH-related ED visits, and the proportion of total ED visits that were MH related by week-region.ResultsBoth weekly regional ED visits and MH-related ED visits dropped after the onset of the pandemic. Because total ED visits dropped more than MH-related ED visits, the proportion of MH-related ED visits increased for the adolescent group. Total ED visits only returned to prepandemic weekly levels (2019: mean [range], 7358 [715-25 908] visits) in the middle of 2021 (overall in 2021: mean [range], 6210 [623-25 777] visits). Mental health-related visits also dropped in 2020 but rebounded to prepandemic weekly levels (2019: mean [range], 634 [56-1703] visits) by the end of 2020 (mean [range], 533 [39-1800] visits).Conclusions and relevanceThis cross-sectional study suggests that families' perceptions of the need for emergent MH care were reduced during the pandemic by less than their perception of the need for emergency care overall. Emergency departments should be equipped to provide critical care specifically for adolescents facing MH emergencies.
| S-EPMC10556969 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in over 6 million deaths worldwide as of March 2022. Adverse psychological effects on patients and the general public linked to the pandemic have been well documented.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of adult emergency department (ED) encounters with diagnoses of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes at a tertiary care hospital in New York City from March 15 through July 31, 2020 and compared it with ED encounters during the same time period in the previous 3 years (2017-2019). The relative risk (RR) of these diagnoses was calculated comparing a prepandemic sample to a pandemic sample, accounting for total volume of ED visits.ResultsA total of 2816 patient encounters met the inclusion criteria. The study period in 2020 had 31.5% lower overall ED volume seen during the same time period in the previous 3 years (27,874 vs average 40,716 ED encounters). The risk of presenting with anxiety during the study period in 2020 compared to prior 3 years was 1.40 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21-1.63), for depression was 1.47 (95% CI 1.28-1.69), and for suicidal ideation was 1.05 (95% CI 0.90-1.23). There was an increase in admissions for depression during the pandemic period (15.2% increase, 95% CI 4.6%-25.7%).ConclusionThere was a relative increase in patients presenting to the ED with complaints of anxiety and depression during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, while absolute numbers remained stable. Our results highlight the importance of acute care-based mental health resources and interventions to support patients during this pandemic.
| S-EPMC9051864 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ImportanceThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, associated mitigation measures, and social and economic impacts may affect mental health, suicidal behavior, substance use, and violence.ObjectiveTo examine changes in US emergency department (ED) visits for mental health conditions (MHCs), suicide attempts (SAs), overdose (OD), and violence outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design, setting, and participantsThis cross-sectional study used data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Syndromic Surveillance Program to examine national changes in ED visits for MHCs, SAs, ODs, and violence from December 30, 2018, to October 10, 2020 (before and during the COVID-19 pandemic). The National Syndromic Surveillance Program captures approximately 70% of US ED visits from more than 3500 EDs that cover 48 states and Washington, DC.Main outcomes and measuresOutcome measures were MHCs, SAs, all drug ODs, opioid ODs, intimate partner violence (IPV), and suspected child abuse and neglect (SCAN) ED visit counts and rates. Weekly ED visit counts and rates were computed overall and stratified by sex.ResultsFrom December 30, 2018, to October 10, 2020, a total of 187 508 065 total ED visits (53.6% female and 46.1% male) were captured; 6 018 318 included at least 1 study outcome (visits not mutually exclusive). Total ED visit volume decreased after COVID-19 mitigation measures were implemented in the US beginning on March 16, 2020. Weekly ED visit counts for all 6 outcomes decreased between March 8 and 28, 2020 (March 8: MHCs = 42 903, SAs = 5212, all ODs = 14 543, opioid ODs = 4752, IPV = 444, and SCAN = 1090; March 28: MHCs = 17 574, SAs = 4241, all ODs = 12 399, opioid ODs = 4306, IPV = 347, and SCAN = 487). Conversely, ED visit rates increased beginning the week of March 22 to 28, 2020. When the median ED visit counts between March 15 and October 10, 2020, were compared with the same period in 2019, the 2020 counts were significantly higher for SAs (n = 4940 vs 4656, P = .02), all ODs (n = 15 604 vs 13 371, P < .001), and opioid ODs (n = 5502 vs 4168, P < .001); counts were significantly lower for IPV ED visits (n = 442 vs 484, P < .001) and SCAN ED visits (n = 884 vs 1038, P < .001). Median rates during the same period were significantly higher in 2020 compared with 2019 for all outcomes except IPV.Conclusions and relevanceThese findings suggest that ED care seeking shifts during a pandemic, underscoring the need to integrate mental health, substance use, and violence screening and prevention services into response activities during public health crises.
| S-EPMC7859873 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundCOVID-19 had a significant impact on Emergency Departments (ED) with early data suggesting an initial decline in avoidable ED visits. However, the sustained impact over time is unclear. In this study, we analyzed ED discharges over a two-year time period after the COVID-19 pandemic began and compared it with a control time period pre-pandemic to evaluate the difference in ED visit categories, including total, avoidable, and unavoidable visits.MethodsThis was a retrospective, cross-sectional study assessing the distribution of visits with ED discharges from two hospitals within a health system over a three-year time period (1/1/2019-12/31/2021). Visits were categorized using the expanded NYU-EDA algorithm modified to include COVID-19-related visits. Categories included: Emergent - Not Preventable/Avoidable, Emergent - Preventable/Avoidable, Emergent - Primary Care Treatable, Non-Emergent, Mental Health, Alcohol, Substance Abuse, Injury, and COVID-19. Chi-square testing was conducted to investigate differences within the time period before COVID-19 (1/1/2019-12/31/2019) and both initial (1/1/2020-12/31/2020) and delayed (1/1/2021-12/31/2021) COVID-19 time frames and ED visit categories, as well as post hoc testing using Fisher's exact tests with Bonferroni correction. ANOVA with post hoc Bonferroni testing was used to determine differences based on daily census for each ED visit category.ResultsA total of 228,010 ED discharges (Hospital #1 = 126,858; Hospital #2 = 101,152) met our inclusion criteria over the three-year period. There was a significant difference in the distribution of NYU-EDA categories between the two time periods (pre-COVID-19 versus during COVID-19) for the combined hospitals (p < 0.001), Hospital #1 (p < 0.001), and Hospital #2 (p < 0.001). When examining daily ED discharges, there was a decline in all categories from 2019 to 2020 except for "Emergent - Not Preventable/Avoidable" which remained stable and "Substance Abuse" which increased. From 2020 to 2021, there were no differences in ED avoidable visits. However, there were increases in discharged visits related to "Injuries", "Alcohol", and "Mental health" and a decrease in "COVID-19".ConclusionOur study identified a sustained decline in discharged avoidable ED visits during the two years following the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was partially offset by the increase in COVID-19 visits. This work can help inform ED and healthcare systems in resource allocation, hospital staffing, and financial planning during future COVID-19 resurgences and pandemics.
| S-EPMC9883066 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveTo explore variation in rates of acute care utilization for mental health conditions, including hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits, across high-income countries before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.Data sources and study settingAdministrative patient-level data between 2017 and 2020 of eight high-income countries: Canada, England, Finland, France, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States (US).Study designMulti-country retrospective observational study using a federated data approach that evaluated age-sex standardized rates of hospitalizations and ED visits for mental health conditions.Principal findingsThere was significant variation in rates of acute mental health care utilization across countries. Among the subset of four countries with both hospitalization and ED data, the US had the highest pre-COVID-19 combined average annual acute care rate of 1613 episodes/100,000 people (95% CI: 1428, 1797). Finland had the lowest rate of 776 (686, 866). When examining hospitalization rates only, France had the highest rate of inpatient hospitalizations of 988/100,000 (95% CI 858, 1118) while Spain had the lowest at 87/100,000 (95% CI 76, 99). For ED rates for mental health conditions, the US had the highest rate of 958/100,000 (95% CI 861, 1055) while France had the lowest rate with 241/100,000 (95% CI 216, 265). Notable shifts coinciding with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic were observed including a substitution of care setting in the US from ED to inpatient care, and overall declines in acute care utilization in Canada and France.ConclusionThe study underscores the importance of understanding and addressing variation in acute care utilization for mental health conditions, including the differential effect of COVID-19, across different health care systems. Further research is needed to elucidate the extent to which factors such as workforce capacity, access barriers, financial incentives, COVID-19 preparedness, and community-based care may contribute to these variations.What is known on this topicApproximately one billion people globally live with a mental health condition, with significant consequences for individuals and societies. Rates of mental health diagnoses vary across high-income countries, with substantial differences in access to effective care. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated mental health challenges globally, with varying impacts across countries.What this study addsThis study provides a comprehensive international comparison of hospitalization and emergency department visit rates for mental health conditions across eight high-income countries. It highlights significant variations in acute care utilization patterns, particularly in countries that are more likely to care for people with mental health conditions in emergency departments rather than inpatient facilities The study identifies temporal and cross-country differences in acute care management of mental health conditions coinciding with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
| S-EPMC11622279 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Background—Mental health conditions and substance use are linked. During the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health conditions and substance use increased, while emergency department (ED) visits decreased in the U.S. There is limited information regarding how the pandemic has affected ED visits for patients with mental health conditions and substance use. Objectives—This study examined the changes in ED visits associated with more common and serious mental health conditions (suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and schizophrenia) and more commonly used substances (opioids, cannabis, alcohol, and cigarettes) in Nevada during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 compared with the pre-pandemic period. Methods—The Nevada State ED database from 2018 to 2021 was used (n = 4,185,416 ED visits). The 10th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases identified suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, schizophrenia, and the use of opioids, cannabis, alcohol, and cigarette smoking. Seven multivariable logistic regression models were developed for each of the conditions after adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and payer source. The reference year was set as 2018. Results—During both of the pandemic years (2020 and 2021), particularly in 2020, the odds of ED visits associated with suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, schizophrenia, cigarette smoking, and alcohol use were all significantly higher than those in 2018. Conclusions—Our findings indicate the impact of the pandemic on mental health- and substance use-associated ED visits and provide empirical evidence for policymakers to direct and develop decisive public health initiatives aimed at addressing mental health and substance use-associated health service utilization, especially during the early stages of large-scale public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
| S-EPMC10001596 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundPrevious studies of national emergency department (ED) data demonstrate a decrease in visits coded for physical abuse during the pandemic period. However, no study to date has examined the incidence of multiple child maltreatment types (physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect), within a single state while considering state-specific closure policies. Furthermore, no similar study has utilized detailed chart review to identify cases, nor compared hospital data to Child Protective Services (CPS) reports.ObjectiveTo determine the incidence of child maltreatment-related ED visits before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, including characterizing the type of maltreatment, severity, and CPS reporting.Participants and settingChildren younger than 18 years old at two tertiary-care, academic children's hospitals in X state.MethodsMaltreatment-related ED visits were identified by ICD-10-CM codes and keywords in chief concerns and provider notes. We conducted a cross-sectional retrospective review of ED visits and child abuse consultations during the pre-COVID (1/1/2019-3/15/2020) and COVID (3/16/2020-8/31/2020) periods, as well as state-level CPS reports for suspected maltreatment.ResultsMaltreatment-related ED visits decreased from 15.7/week in the matched pre-COVID period (n = 380 total) to 12.3/week (n = 296 total) in the COVID period (P < .01). However, ED visits (P < .05) and CPS reports (P < .001) for child neglect increased during this period. Provider notes identified 62.4% of child maltreatment ED visits, while ICD-10 codes identified only-CM captured 46.8%.ConclusionED visits for physical and sexual abuse declined, but neglect cases increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in X state.
| S-EPMC8958138 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ImportanceThe COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected adult mental health (MH), with racial and ethnic minoritized groups disproportionately affected.ObjectiveTo examine changes in adult MH-related emergency department (ED) visits into the Delta variant pandemic period and identify changes and inequities in these visits before and during COVID-19 case surges.Design, setting, and participantsThis epidemiologic cross-sectional study used National Syndromic Surveillance Program data from US adults aged 18 to 64 years from 1970 to 2352 ED facilities from January 1, 2019, to August 14, 2021. All MH-related ED visits and visits related to 10 disorders (ie, anxiety, depressive, bipolar, schizophrenia spectrum, trauma- and stressor-related, attention-deficit/hyperactivity, disruptive behavioral and impulse, obsessive-compulsive, eating, and tic disorders) were identified.ExposuresThe following periods of MH-related ED visits were compared: (1) high Delta variant circulation (July 18-August 14, 2021) with a pre-Delta period (April 18-May 15, 2021), (2) after a COVID-19 case peak (February 14-March 13, 2021) with during a peak (December 27, 2020-January 23, 2021), and (3) the Delta period and the period after a COVID-19 case peak with the respective corresponding weeks during the prepandemic period.Main outcomes and measuresED visits for 10 mental disorders and all MH-related visits.ResultsThis cross-sectional study included 107 761 319 ED visits among adults aged 18 to 64 years (59 870 475 [56%] women) from January 1, 2019, to August 14, 2021. There was stability in most MH-related ED visit counts between the Delta and pre-Delta periods (percentage change, -1.4% to -7.5%), except for eating disorders (-11.9%) and tic disorders (-19.8%) and after a COVID-19 case peak compared with during a peak (0.6%-7.4%). Most MH-related ED visit counts declined in the Delta period relative to the prepandemic period (-6.4% to -30.7%); there were fluctuations by disorder when comparing after a COVID-19 case peak with the corresponding prepandemic period (-15.4% to 11.3%). Accounting for ED visit volume, MH-related ED visits were a smaller proportion of visits in the Delta period compared with the pre-Delta period (visit ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.85-0.86) and prepandemic period (visit ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.79-0.80). After a COVID-19 case peak, MH-related ED visits were a larger proportion of ED visits compared with during a peak (visit ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.03-1.04) and the corresponding prepandemic period (visit ratio, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.11-1.12). Of the 2 510 744 ED visits included in the race and ethnicity analysis, 24 592 (1%) were American Indian or Alaska Native persons, 33 697 (1%) were Asian persons, 494 198 (20%) were Black persons, 389 740 (16%) were Hispanic persons, 5000 (0.2%) were Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander persons, and 1 172 683 (47%) were White persons. There was between- and within-group variation in ED visits by race and ethnicity and increases in selected disorders after COVID-19 peaks for adults aged 18 to 24 years.Conclusions and relevanceResults of this cross-sectional study suggest that EDs may have increases in MH-related visits after COVID-19 surges, specifically for young adults and individual racial and ethnic minoritized subpopulations. Public health practitioners should consider subpopulation-specific messaging and programmatic strategies that address differences in MH needs, particularly for those historically marginalized.
| S-EPMC8928092 | biostudies-literature