AimWe compared adolescents' visits to a tertiary-level paediatric emergency department (PED) in Italy during the pre-pandemic year and the first and second years of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on mental health presentations. MethodsThis was a retrospective study. We collected the number of visits, the demographical features, triage codes, discharge diagnoses, and outcomes of adolescents 13-17 years old who accessed the PED from 1 March 2019 to 28 February 2022. ResultsDuring the study period, 13,410 adolescents accessed the PED. The number of visits related to mental health problems was 304 (6.4%) in the second year of the pandemic and 306 (5.6%) in the pre-pandemic year, p = 0.07. In the same periods, females' prevalence was higher, 220 (72.4%) vs. 197 (64.4%), p = 0.03. The absolute number of subjects needing admission increased, 44 vs. 34, p = 0.21, and more urgent psychiatric consultations were needed, 161 vs. 114, p < 0.0001. The number of suicide attempts was 23 vs. 8, +188%, p = 0.01. The number of adolescents with eating disorders was 21 vs. 5, +320%, p = 0.001. ConclusionPED visits for suicide attempts and eating disorders in adolescents sharply increased in the second year of the pandemic.

Suicide attempts and eating disorders in adolescents, the mental health wave of the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic: A paediatric emergency department perspective

Zuliani, Elettra;Barbi, Egidio;
2023-01-01

Abstract

AimWe compared adolescents' visits to a tertiary-level paediatric emergency department (PED) in Italy during the pre-pandemic year and the first and second years of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on mental health presentations. MethodsThis was a retrospective study. We collected the number of visits, the demographical features, triage codes, discharge diagnoses, and outcomes of adolescents 13-17 years old who accessed the PED from 1 March 2019 to 28 February 2022. ResultsDuring the study period, 13,410 adolescents accessed the PED. The number of visits related to mental health problems was 304 (6.4%) in the second year of the pandemic and 306 (5.6%) in the pre-pandemic year, p = 0.07. In the same periods, females' prevalence was higher, 220 (72.4%) vs. 197 (64.4%), p = 0.03. The absolute number of subjects needing admission increased, 44 vs. 34, p = 0.21, and more urgent psychiatric consultations were needed, 161 vs. 114, p < 0.0001. The number of suicide attempts was 23 vs. 8, +188%, p = 0.01. The number of adolescents with eating disorders was 21 vs. 5, +320%, p = 0.001. ConclusionPED visits for suicide attempts and eating disorders in adolescents sharply increased in the second year of the pandemic.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11368/3041260
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