COVID-19 Impact on Australian Patients with Substance Use Disorders: Emergency Department Admissions in Western Sydney before Vaccine Roll Out

Patients languishing in emergency departments: A descriptive analysis of mental health-related emergency department presentations in Australia between 2016-17 and 2020-21

OBJECTIVE

In the context of concerns regarding hospital access block, this paper provides a descriptive longitudinal analysis of mental health-related ED episodes in Australian public hospitals between 2016-17 and 2020-21.

METHOD

We descriptively analysed Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data for mental health-related ED presentations, outcomes and 5-year trends for Australian public hospitals.

RESULTS

There were more than 300,000 Australian mental health-related ED presentations in 2020-21. Presentations increased by an average annual rate of 2.8% between 2016-17 and 2020-21, commonly involving first responder (police, paramedic) attendance. From 2016-17 to 2020-21, the average annual rate of mental health-related ED presentations receiving a triage category of resuscitation increased by 13.7%, emergency by 9.4% and urgent by 4.7%. 90% of MH-related ED presentations were completed within 14 h, which was longer than the 90th percentile for all ED presentations (up to 8 h).

CONCLUSIONS

Current mental health policies have not stemmed the rising tide of ED presentations. Mental health-related ED presentations are increasing in number and severity, likely due to health systemic and societal factors. Psychiatry patients stay longer in EDs than other patients. Healthcare reforms should be targeted to provide the best outcome based on principles of equity of access.

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on drug and poison–related deaths in Gold Coast, Australia

Introduction

COVID-19 is postulated to impact drug- and poison-related deaths. America has reported an increased in drug-related deaths, whereas Australia has reported a decline. Regional studies are scant and may not mirror national data. Characterising drug and poison–related deaths during COVID-19 at a regional level would inform local interventions and policies on the current and future pandemics.

Methods

A 4-year retrospective study from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2019 (pre-COVID-19 pandemic) and from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021 (COVID-19 pandemic) of all drug and poison–related deaths admitted to the Gold Coast University Hospital under Coronial investigation.

Results

Drug and poison–related deaths increased in both the proportion and absolute numbers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. There was no statistical difference in age, sex, location of death, manner of death and classification of drugs and poison implicated.

Conclusions

Although there is an increase in drug and poison–related deaths, the overall demographic and pattern have not changed. Further studies to account for the variation may enable implementation of targeted public health interventions to address the burden of related deaths in regional settings in the context of future pandemics.