Citation

Balestrieri M, Rucci P, Amendola D, Bonizzoni M, Cerveri G, Colli C, Dragogna F, Ducci G, Elmo MG, Ghio L, Grasso F, Locatelli C, Mencacci C, Monaco L, Nicotra A, Piccinini G, Pischiutta L, Toscano M, Vaggi M, Villari V, Vitalucci A, Castelpietra G, Bondi E. Front. Psychiatry 2021; 12.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Frontiers Media)

DOI

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.697058

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Aims: The aim was to analyse the psychiatric consultations in nine Italian hospital emergency departments, by comparing the lockdown and post-lockdown periods of 2020 with the equivalent periods of 2019.

METHODS: Characteristics of psychiatric consultations, patients, and drug prescriptions were analyzed. Joinpoint models were used to identify changes in the weekly trend of consultations.

RESULTS: A 37.5% decrease in the number of consultations was seen during the lockdown period and 17.9% after the lockdown. The number of individual patients seen decreased by 34.9% during the lockdown and 11.2% after the lockdown. A significant change in the number of consultations from week 11 to week 18 occurred, followed by a gradual increase. There was a higher percentage of patients with previous psychiatric hospitalizations during the lockdown period (61.1 vs. 56.3%) and a lower percentage after the lockdown (59.7 vs. 64.7%). During the lockdown there was a large increase in psychiatric consultations for substance use disorders, whereas more consultations for manic episodes occurred after the lockdown. A 3.4% decrease was observed in consultations for suicidal ideation and planning during the lockdown, followed by an upward rebound after the lockdown, along with an increase in consultations for suicide attempts. During lockdown antipsychotic and benzodiazepine prescriptions increased by 5.2 and 4.1%, respectively. After the lockdown, the number of compulsory hospitalizations was higher than in 2019.

CONCLUSIONS: We observed a decrease of psychiatric consultations during and after the lockdown. There was an increase in consultations for manic episodes and suicidality after the lockdown. The focus of psychiatric services must remain high particularly in this latter period. © Copyright © 2021 Balestrieri, Rucci, Amendola, Bonizzoni, Cerveri, Colli, Dragogna, Ducci, Elmo, Ghio, Grasso, Locatelli, Mencacci, Monaco, Nicotra, Piccinini, Pischiutta, Toscano, Vaggi, Villari, Vitalucci, Castelpietra and Bondi.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; human; COVID-19; female; male; emergency department; suicidal ideation; depression; Italy; suicide attempt; hospitalization; major clinical study; controlled study; prescription; antidepressant agent; neuroleptic agent; retrospective study; consultation; hospital admission; emergency ward; drug dependence; benzodiazepine; multicenter study; mania; adjustment disorder; Article; psychotropic drugs; coronavirus disease 2019; lockdown; psychiatric consultations