UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Education and Innovation in Health Systems, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland.
Int Rev Psychiatry. 2022 Feb 17;34(2):128-139. doi: 10.1080/09540261.2022.2061840. Epub 2022 May 22.
Increases in youth psychiatric presentations to out-patient and emergency department settings during COVID-19 have been reported. This study, using data from five hospitals in Ireland, examines changes in the number and type of paediatric admissions during COVID-19 (March 2020 - February 2021) compared to the previous two years. ICD-10 classification was used to establish admissions with mental, behavioural, neuro-developmental disorders and psychosocial reasons (MBN-PS). Overall hospital admissions fell by 25.3%, while MBN-PS fell by only 2.6%, mostly during an initial lockdown. Admissions for MBN-PS increased in July-August (9.2%), increased further in September-December (28.3%), returning to pre-COVID-19 levels in January-February 2021. Significant increases were observed among youths with anorexia nervosa (47.8%), other eating disorders (42.9%), and admissions for anxiety (29.6%), with these effects relating to females only. Although admissions for self-harm increased (3%) and rates of ASD admissions reduced (17%), these were not statistically significant. The disproportionate increase in admissions for MBN-PS compared to medical admissions suggests an adverse effect of COVID-19 on youth mental health, for females in particular, and supports previous reports of a pandemic specific increase in eating psychopathology. Combined community and acute service delivery and capacity planning are urgently needed given the prior underfunding of services pre-pandemic.
据报道，在 COVID-19 期间，青少年到门诊和急诊部门就诊的情况有所增加。本研究使用爱尔兰五家医院的数据，考察了 COVID-19 期间（2020 年 3 月至 2021 年 2 月）与前两年相比，儿科入院人数和类型的变化。ICD-10 分类用于确定与精神、行为、神经发育障碍和心理社会原因相关的入院（MBN-PS）。总体住院人数下降了 25.3%，而 MBN-PS 仅下降了 2.6%，主要是在最初的封锁期间。MBN-PS 的入院人数在 7 月至 8 月（9.2%）增加，9 月至 12 月（28.3%）进一步增加，在 2021 年 1 月至 2 月恢复到 COVID-19 前的水平。厌食症（47.8%）、其他饮食障碍（42.9%）和焦虑症（29.6%）患者的入院人数显著增加，这些影响仅与女性有关。尽管自残入院人数增加（3%）和自闭症谱系障碍入院人数减少（17%），但这些变化没有统计学意义。与医疗入院相比，MBN-PS 入院人数的不成比例增加表明 COVID-19 对青少年心理健康产生了不利影响，特别是对女性，这支持了之前关于大流行期间饮食心理障碍增加的报告。鉴于大流行前服务资金不足，迫切需要联合社区和急性服务提供和能力规划。
