The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on presentations to health services following self-harm: a systematic review
Background Evidence on the impact of the pandemic on healthcare presentations for self-harm has accumulated rapidly. However, existing reviews do not include studies published beyond 2020. Aims To systematically review evidence on presentations to health services following self-harm during the COVI...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2022
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| _version_ | 1797107880393965568 |
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| author | Steeg, S John, A Gunnell, D Kapur, N Dakel, D Schmidt, L Knipe, D Arensman, E Hawton, K Higgins, J Eyles, E Macleod-Hall, C McGuiness, LA Webb, R |
| author_facet | Steeg, S John, A Gunnell, D Kapur, N Dakel, D Schmidt, L Knipe, D Arensman, E Hawton, K Higgins, J Eyles, E Macleod-Hall, C McGuiness, LA Webb, R |
| author_sort | Steeg, S |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Background
Evidence on the impact of the pandemic on healthcare presentations for self-harm has accumulated rapidly. However, existing reviews do not include studies published beyond 2020.
Aims
To systematically review evidence on presentations to health services following self-harm during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Method
A comprehensive search of databases (WHO COVID-19 database; Medline; medRxiv; Scopus; PsyRxiv; SocArXiv; bioRxiv; COVID-19 Open Research Dataset, PubMed) was conducted. Studies published from 1 January 2020 to 7 September 2021 were included. Study quality was assessed with a critical appraisal tool.
Results
Fifty-one studies were included: 57% (29/51) were rated as ‘low’ quality, 31% (16/51) as ‘moderate’ and 12% (6/51) as ‘high-moderate’. Most evidence (84%, 43/51) was from high-income countries. A total of 47% (24/51) of studies reported reductions in presentation frequency, including all six rated as high-moderate quality, which reported reductions of 17–56%. Settings treating higher lethality self-harm were overrepresented among studies reporting increased demand. Two of the three higher-quality studies including study observation months from 2021 reported reductions in self-harm presentations. Evidence from 2021 suggests increased numbers of presentations among adolescents, particularly girls.
Conclusions
Sustained reductions in numbers of self-harm presentations were seen into the first half of 2021, although this evidence is based on a relatively small number of higher-quality studies. Evidence from low- and middle-income countries is lacking. Increased numbers of presentations among adolescents, particularly girls, into 2021 is concerning. Findings may reflect changes in thresholds for help-seeking, use of alternative sources of support and variable effects of the pandemic across groups.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T07:21:51Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:ca8f5aa3-2ccb-46d1-939a-6afe9e99219b |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T07:21:51Z |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:ca8f5aa3-2ccb-46d1-939a-6afe9e99219b2022-10-12T07:52:52ZThe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on presentations to health services following self-harm: a systematic reviewJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:ca8f5aa3-2ccb-46d1-939a-6afe9e99219bEnglishSymplectic ElementsCambridge University Press2022Steeg, SJohn, AGunnell, DKapur, NDakel, DSchmidt, LKnipe, DArensman, EHawton, KHiggins, JEyles, EMacleod-Hall, CMcGuiness, LAWebb, RBackground Evidence on the impact of the pandemic on healthcare presentations for self-harm has accumulated rapidly. However, existing reviews do not include studies published beyond 2020. Aims To systematically review evidence on presentations to health services following self-harm during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method A comprehensive search of databases (WHO COVID-19 database; Medline; medRxiv; Scopus; PsyRxiv; SocArXiv; bioRxiv; COVID-19 Open Research Dataset, PubMed) was conducted. Studies published from 1 January 2020 to 7 September 2021 were included. Study quality was assessed with a critical appraisal tool. Results Fifty-one studies were included: 57% (29/51) were rated as ‘low’ quality, 31% (16/51) as ‘moderate’ and 12% (6/51) as ‘high-moderate’. Most evidence (84%, 43/51) was from high-income countries. A total of 47% (24/51) of studies reported reductions in presentation frequency, including all six rated as high-moderate quality, which reported reductions of 17–56%. Settings treating higher lethality self-harm were overrepresented among studies reporting increased demand. Two of the three higher-quality studies including study observation months from 2021 reported reductions in self-harm presentations. Evidence from 2021 suggests increased numbers of presentations among adolescents, particularly girls. Conclusions Sustained reductions in numbers of self-harm presentations were seen into the first half of 2021, although this evidence is based on a relatively small number of higher-quality studies. Evidence from low- and middle-income countries is lacking. Increased numbers of presentations among adolescents, particularly girls, into 2021 is concerning. Findings may reflect changes in thresholds for help-seeking, use of alternative sources of support and variable effects of the pandemic across groups. |
| spellingShingle | Steeg, S John, A Gunnell, D Kapur, N Dakel, D Schmidt, L Knipe, D Arensman, E Hawton, K Higgins, J Eyles, E Macleod-Hall, C McGuiness, LA Webb, R The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on presentations to health services following self-harm: a systematic review |
| title | The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on presentations to health services following self-harm: a systematic review |
| title_full | The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on presentations to health services following self-harm: a systematic review |
| title_fullStr | The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on presentations to health services following self-harm: a systematic review |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on presentations to health services following self-harm: a systematic review |
| title_short | The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on presentations to health services following self-harm: a systematic review |
| title_sort | impact of the covid 19 pandemic on presentations to health services following self harm a systematic review |
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