Effects after the lockdown on emergency room admissions for psychiatric evaluation: An observational study from the province of Forlì-Cesena, Italy

Psychiatric ward admissions during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canton of Ticino (Swiss Confederation) and the province of Como (Italy): a comparison between two different systems of care and outbreak response strategies

The aim of the study was to estimate the effect of the COVID- 19 pandemic and response policies on the psychiatric ward admissions in the hospitals referring to the ASST Lariana (province of Como, Italy) and the Hospital of Mendrisio (Canton of Ticino, Switzerland), two similar territories that belong to countries that dealt differently with the pandemic. We compared the two territories for type of admission (voluntary vs. compulsory), the Stringency Index (SI) and the country’s number of admission in Intensive Care Units (ICU). We found a significant reduction in the psychiatric ward admission in the lockdown period in both territories, even in periods with milder lockdown measures. The admission rate’s reduction in the ASST Lariana was significantly associated with the ICU admissions (p<0.001). In the Hospital of Mendrisio, admissions included a weekly seasonality, were significantly correlated with SI (p=0.001) and period (pre-pandemic and pandemic; p<0.001) and we observed also a significant reduction of compulsory admission that is influenced both by the stringency index (p<0.001) and period (p<0.001). The differences between the two territories seem influenced by the different mental health systems.

[What Influence did the Lockdown 2020 have on the Use of a Central Emergency Room by Psychiatric Emergency Patients]

OBJECTIVE

The current coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19 disease) poses major challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. The aim of this work was to identify the impact on psychiatric emergency presentations in an ED during the implemented lockdown.

METHODS

A retrospective survey of all psychiatric emergency presentations in the ED during the lockdown was conducted. The same period in 2019 served as the reference year.

RESULTS

There was a decrease in psychiatric patients. Changes were observed in the age and diagnoses.

CONCLUSION

Some clear effects of the lockdown on psychiatric emergencies in an ED setting can be described. However, the changes were smaller than in other countries with other health care systems.