Sociodemographic and clinical changes in pediatric in-patient admissions for mental health emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic: March 2020 to June 2021

Riccardo Bortoletto; Gianfranco Di Gennaro; Giulia Antolini; Federica Mondini; Laura Passarella; Valentina Rizzo; Marta Silvestri; Francesca Darra; Leonardo Zoccante; Marco Colizzi

Psychiatry Research Communications (Mar 2022)

Sociodemographic and clinical changes in pediatric in-patient admissions for mental health emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic: March 2020 to June 2021

Riccardo Bortoletto,
Gianfranco Di Gennaro,
Giulia Antolini,
Federica Mondini,
Laura Passarella,
Valentina Rizzo,
Marta Silvestri,
Francesca Darra,
Leonardo Zoccante,
Marco Colizzi

Affiliations

Riccardo Bortoletto: Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Maternal-Child Integrated Care Department, Integrated University Hospital of Verona, 37126, Verona, Italy
Gianfranco Di Gennaro: Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, Integrated University Hospital of Verona, 37126, Verona, Italy
Giulia Antolini: Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Maternal-Child Integrated Care Department, Integrated University Hospital of Verona, 37126, Verona, Italy
Federica Mondini: Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Maternal-Child Integrated Care Department, Integrated University Hospital of Verona, 37126, Verona, Italy
Laura Passarella: Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Maternal-Child Integrated Care Department, Integrated University Hospital of Verona, 37126, Verona, Italy
Valentina Rizzo: Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Maternal-Child Integrated Care Department, Integrated University Hospital of Verona, 37126, Verona, Italy
Marta Silvestri: Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Maternal-Child Integrated Care Department, Integrated University Hospital of Verona, 37126, Verona, Italy
Francesca Darra: Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences, Dentistry, Gynecology and Pediatrics University of Verona, 37126, Verona, Italy
Leonardo Zoccante: Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Maternal-Child Integrated Care Department, Integrated University Hospital of Verona, 37126, Verona, Italy
Marco Colizzi: Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit, Maternal-Child Integrated Care Department, Integrated University Hospital of Verona, 37126, Verona, Italy; Unit Psychiatry, Department of Medicine (DAME), University of Udine, 33100, Udine, Italy; Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 8AF, UK; Corresponding author. Unit Psychiatry, Department of Medicine (DAME), University of Udine, 33100, Udine, Italy.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 2, no. 1
p. 100023

Abstract

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COVID-19 pandemic may affect children's mental health. Children <18 years in-patiently admitted for mental health emergencies between March 2020 and June 2021 were compared to those admitted in the same period of 2018–2019 in terms of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. There were 49 admissions in the pre-pandemic period and 60 in the pandemic period (IRR: 1.22; 95% CI: 0.84–1.79), with the latter more likely to have a family history of psychiatric disorders, a personal history of physical disturbances, present with suicidal risk, and being diagnosed with an externalizing disorder. This study underscores the increased need for pediatric mental health services.

Published in Psychiatry Research Communications

ISSN: 2772-5987 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry: Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system: Psychiatry
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/psychiatry-research-communications

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