Snapshot of a Child and Adolescent Psychiatric ER during Pandemic
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted numerous fundamental systems ranging from businesses to education system. The long-term consequences of the Pandemic, namely virtual learning and prolonged social isolation are coming to fruition in Child/Adolescent-Psychiatric Emergency-Rooms (CAP-E...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2022-06-01
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| Series: | European Psychiatry |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822010859/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797616348540436480 |
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| author | F. Arain A. Tohid M. Jawad A. Rashid P. Korenis J. Sanchez-Lacay |
| author_facet | F. Arain A. Tohid M. Jawad A. Rashid P. Korenis J. Sanchez-Lacay |
| author_sort | F. Arain |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted numerous fundamental systems ranging from businesses to education system. The long-term consequences of the Pandemic, namely virtual learning and prolonged social isolation are coming to fruition in Child/Adolescent-Psychiatric Emergency-Rooms (CAP-ER). Discontinuity of in-person attendance of schools has poorly impacted the mental health of children and adolescents (C&A) of low-socioeconomic areas, who often rely on schools for meals, physical activity, and mental-health support. An increase in agitation, suicidal ideation, and a declining school performance has been observed in such situations.
Objectives
The primary objective of this study is to explore the increase in these symptoms as the presenting complaint in the psychiatric ER.
Methods
Between April to June 2021 a cross-sectional quality improvement (QI) study was done on children presenting to CAP-ER BronxCare-Hospital NY with psychiatric complaints. Concomitant substance use disorder was determined using CRAFT questionnaire.
Results
Our data comprised 209 patients (84 M/125 F) with 79 children and 130 adolescents. Ethnicity: 116 Hispanics (56%), 84 African Americans (40%), and 9 others. The most common presenting complaints were aggression (111, 53%), suicidal ideation/suicide attempt (50, 24%), acute exacerbation of chronic illness (7, 3.3%), accidental overdosage (5, 2.3%) and others (36, 17.4). Marijuana was the most used substance (34 patients).
Conclusions
There has been a surge in severity of presentation of psychiatric disorders among children and adolescents, aggression so far, the most prevalent. Further studies are needed to delineate the social links with this high emergent load and pandemic.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:38:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-131770be460e443182517540c0c2b51c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:38:45Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-131770be460e443182517540c0c2b51c2023-11-17T05:08:50ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852022-06-0165S427S42810.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.1085Snapshot of a Child and Adolescent Psychiatric ER during PandemicF. Arain0A. Tohid1M. Jawad2A. Rashid3P. Korenis4J. Sanchez-Lacay5BronxCare Health System Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Bronx, United States of AmericaUniversity of Southern California, Psychiatry, Los Angeles, United States of AmericaKing Edward Medical University, Psychiatry, Lahore, PakistanBronxCare Health System Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Bronx, United States of AmericaUniversity of Southern California, Psychiatry, Bronx, United States of AmericaBronxCare Health System Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Bronx, United States of America Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted numerous fundamental systems ranging from businesses to education system. The long-term consequences of the Pandemic, namely virtual learning and prolonged social isolation are coming to fruition in Child/Adolescent-Psychiatric Emergency-Rooms (CAP-ER). Discontinuity of in-person attendance of schools has poorly impacted the mental health of children and adolescents (C&A) of low-socioeconomic areas, who often rely on schools for meals, physical activity, and mental-health support. An increase in agitation, suicidal ideation, and a declining school performance has been observed in such situations. Objectives The primary objective of this study is to explore the increase in these symptoms as the presenting complaint in the psychiatric ER. Methods Between April to June 2021 a cross-sectional quality improvement (QI) study was done on children presenting to CAP-ER BronxCare-Hospital NY with psychiatric complaints. Concomitant substance use disorder was determined using CRAFT questionnaire. Results Our data comprised 209 patients (84 M/125 F) with 79 children and 130 adolescents. Ethnicity: 116 Hispanics (56%), 84 African Americans (40%), and 9 others. The most common presenting complaints were aggression (111, 53%), suicidal ideation/suicide attempt (50, 24%), acute exacerbation of chronic illness (7, 3.3%), accidental overdosage (5, 2.3%) and others (36, 17.4). Marijuana was the most used substance (34 patients). Conclusions There has been a surge in severity of presentation of psychiatric disorders among children and adolescents, aggression so far, the most prevalent. Further studies are needed to delineate the social links with this high emergent load and pandemic. Disclosure No significant relationships. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822010859/type/journal_article |
| spellingShingle | F. Arain A. Tohid M. Jawad A. Rashid P. Korenis J. Sanchez-Lacay Snapshot of a Child and Adolescent Psychiatric ER during Pandemic European Psychiatry |
| title | Snapshot of a Child and Adolescent Psychiatric ER during Pandemic |
| title_full | Snapshot of a Child and Adolescent Psychiatric ER during Pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Snapshot of a Child and Adolescent Psychiatric ER during Pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Snapshot of a Child and Adolescent Psychiatric ER during Pandemic |
| title_short | Snapshot of a Child and Adolescent Psychiatric ER during Pandemic |
| title_sort | snapshot of a child and adolescent psychiatric er during pandemic |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822010859/type/journal_article |
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