Confirmation of increased and more severe adolescent mental health-related in-patient admissions in the COVID-19 pandemic aftermath: A 2-year follow-up study

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic may have affected youth's mental wellbeing. Youth admissions for mental health emergencies over the 2-year period following the COVID-19 outbreak (March 2020–February 2022) were compared to those occurring in the same period of 2018–2020, with reference to individual and clinical data. The study identified 30 admissions in the pre-pandemic period and 65 (+116.7%) in the post-pandemic period, with the latter being younger, less likely to have a personal psychiatric history, and more likely to receive psychopharmacological treatment. A higher likelihood of earlier, ex novo psychiatric manifestations, requiring medication to reach clinical stability, in the post-COVID era, is suggested.

Keywords

• Child and adolescent neuropsychiatry
• Psychopharmacological therapy
• Risk factors