TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2021//
TI  - Trends in psychiatric emergency department visits in northern Israel during the COVID-19 outbreak
JO  - Frontiers in psychiatry
A1  - Pikkel Igal, Yael
A1  - Meretyk, Irit
A1  - Darawshe, Aziz
A1  - Hayek, Samer
A1  - Givon, Limor
A1  - Levy, Avi
A1  - Sipori, Idan
A1  - Nuriel, Yonatan
A1  - Bloch, Boaz
A1  - Buniak, Shraga
A1  - Eshel, Ron
A1  - Fruchter, Eyal
SP  - 603318
EP  - 603318
VL  - 12
IS  - 
N2  - BACKGROUND: During the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), mandatory quarantines increased social isolation and anxiety, with inevitable consequences on mental health and health seeking behavior. We wished to estimate those trends. <br><br>METHODS: We examined all psychiatric visits to the emergency department (ED) during March, April 2020, compared to identical months in 2018, 2019. We evaluated both number and nature of referrals. <br><br>RESULTS: Throughout the years, psychiatric referrals comprised about 5% of the total number of ED visits. In March-April 2020, 30% decreases were observed in overall ED visits and in psychiatric referrals in the ED. Compared to 2018-2019, in 2020, the proportions of these diagnoses were higher: anxiety disorders (14.5 vs. 5.4%, p < 0.001), personality disorders (6.7 vs. 3.2%, p = 0.001), psychosis (9.5 vs. 6.7%, p = 0.049), post-traumatic stress disorder (3.2 vs. 1.5%, p = 0.023). Compared to 2018-2019, in 2020, proportions were lower for adjustment disorder (5.8 vs. 8.9%, p = 0.036) and for consultation regarding observation (11.7 vs. 31.6%, p < 0.001). Differences were not observed between 2018-2019 and 2020 in the proportions of other diagnoses including suicide and self-harm disorders. Referrals concerning suicide and self-harm in a rural hospital and community clinic were 30% lower in the COVID-19 lockdown than in the same months in 2018, 2019. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Psychiatric ED visits decreased by the same proportion as overall visits to the ED, apparently driven by fears of COVID-19. Referrals relating suicidality and self-harm shown nominal decrease, but their proportioned share remained constant. Increased anxiety and delayed care may eventually lead to increased mental health needs.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1664-0640
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.603318
ID  - ref1
ER  -