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. 2023 Jan-Mar:16:76-83.
doi: 10.1016/j.rpsm.2022.03.003. Epub 2022 Jun 15.

Urgent care and suicidal behavior in the child and adolescent population in a psychiatric emergency department in a Spanish province during the two COVID-19 states of alarm

Vicent Llorca-Bofí  1 , Marina Adrados-Pérez  1 , Marta Sánchez-Cazalilla  1 , Giovanni Torterolo  1 , Laura Arenas-Pijoan  1 , Esther Buil-Reiné  1 , Eugènia Nicolau-Subires  1 , Carla Albert-Porcar  1 , Lucía Ibarra-Pertusa  1 , Margarita Puigdevall-Ruestes  1 , María Irigoyen-Otiñano  1
Affiliations

Urgent care and suicidal behavior in the child and adolescent population in a psychiatric emergency department in a Spanish province during the two COVID-19 states of alarm

Vicent Llorca-Bofí et al. Rev Psiquiatr Salud Ment. 2023 Jan-Mar.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Introduction: The COVID-19 outbreak and lockdown may have an impact in mental health among youth, but reports of psychiatry emergency department encounters in young Spanish population are scarce. The aim of this study is to characterize the reasons for psychiatric urgent care of youth during COVID-19 pandemic in our hospital.

Material and methods: This cross-sectional study compare visits to the psychiatry emergency department and their characteristics in young patients in the province of Lleida before and after the pandemic with special attention to the two states of alarm and suicidal behavior. Information regarding sociodemographic status, chief complaints, diagnosis, characteristics of suicidal behavior, and other data were obtained from the electronic medical records.

Results: Within the total psychiatric emergency attendances, youth patients increased a 83.5% in the second state of alarm (p = 0.001). In this period patients were younger (p = 0.006), had less psychiatric history (p = 0.017) and their living conditions changed with an increase of those living with relatives (p = 0.004). Suicidal ideation care increased without statistical significance (p = 0.073). Multiple logistic regression identifies independent risk factors for suicidal behavior being female (OR: 2.88 [1.39-5.98]), living with relatives (OR: 3.49 [1.43-8.54]), and having a diagnosis of depression (OR: 6.34 [3.58-11.24]).

Conclusions: The number of young people seen in psychiatric emergencies during the chronic stage of the pandemic increased, and these were getting younger and without previous psychiatric contact. The trend to higher rates of suicidal ideation indicates that youth experienced elevated distress during these periods, especially women, living with relatives and presenting depression.

Introducción: El brote de COVID-19 y el confinamiento pueden tener un impacto en la salud mental entre los jóvenes, pero los estudios de visitas al servicio de urgencias de psiquiatría en la población joven española son escasos. El objetivo de este estudio es caracterizar los motivos de atención de urgencia psiquiátrica de los jóvenes durante la pandemia de COVID-19 en nuestro hospital.

Material y métodos: Este estudio transversal compara las visitas a urgencias de psiquiatría y sus características en pacientes jóvenes de la provincia de Lleida antes y después de la pandemia, con especial atención a los 2 estados de alarma y la conducta suicida. La información sobre el estatus sociodemográfico, las principales quejas, el diagnóstico, las características de la conducta suicida y otros datos se obtuvieron de la historia clínica electrónica.

Resultados: Dentro del total de atenciones de urgencias psiquiátricas, los pacientes jóvenes aumentaron un 83,5% en el segundo estado de alarma (p = 0,001). En este período los pacientes eran más jóvenes (p = 0,006), tenían menos antecedentes psiquiátricos (p = 0,017) y sus condiciones de vida cambiaron, con un aumento de los que vivían con familiares (p = 0,004). La atención a la ideación suicida aumentó sin significación estadística (p = 0,073). La regresión logística múltiple identifica factores de riesgo independientes para la conducta suicida: ser mujer (OR: 2,88 [1,39-5,98]), vivir con familiares (OR: 3,49 [1,43-8,54]) y tener un diagnóstico de depresión (OR: 6,34 [3,58-11,24]).

Conclusiones: Aumentó el número de jóvenes atendidos en urgencias psiquiátricas durante la etapa crónica de la pandemia, y estos cada vez eran más jóvenes y sin contacto psiquiátrico previo. La tendencia a tasas más altas de ideación suicida indica que los jóvenes experimentaron una angustia elevada durante estos períodos, especialmente las mujeres, que vivían con familiares y presentaban depresión.

Keywords: Brain; COVID19; Long terms effects; Mental health; Sequels.

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