Table 2.
Characteristics of mental health emergency visits among adolescents before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
| Characteristics | Total Population n = 1407 |
Pre-COVID-19 Period n = 702 |
COVID-19 Period n = 707 |
p Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex, n (%) | 0.50 | |||
| Female | 543 (38.59) | 277 (39.46) | 266 (37.73) | |
| Male | 864 (61.41) | 425 (60.54) | 439 (62.27) | |
| Age (years), median (IQR) | 189 (174–202) 15.75 (14.5–16.83) |
189 (173–200) 15.75 (14.42–12.66) |
189 (175–204) 15.75 (14.58–17) |
0.1 |
| Ethnicity, n (%) | ||||
| Italian | 1259 (89.48) | 605 (86.18) | 654 (92.77) | <0.001 |
| Other ethnicities | 148 (10.52) | 97 (13.82) | 51 (7.23) | |
| Arrival to hospital by ambulance, n (%) | 566 (40.23) | 274 (39.03) | 292 (41.42) | 0.36 |
| Transferred by another hospital, n (%) | 100 (7.11) | 69 (9.83) | 31 (4.40) | <0.001 |
| Time of symptom onset, (days), median (IQR) | 1 (1–3) | 1.5 (1–7) | 1 (1–2) | <0.001 |
| Comorbidity, n (%) | 430 (30.56) | 240 (34.19) | 190 (26.95) | 0.003 |
| Onset of MHDs, n (%) | ||||
| “First contact” ED visits | 462 (32.84) | 179 (25.50) | 283 (40.14) | <0.001 |
| No previous psychiatric history | 945 (67.16) | 523 (74.50) | 422 (59.86) | |
| Intentional exposure to toxic substances, n (%) | 199 (14.14) | 100 (14.25) | 99 (14.04) | 0.91 |
| On current medical treatment, n (%) | 752 (53.45) | 375 (53.42) | 377 (53.48) | 0.98 |
| Need for pharmacologic interventions at ED, n (%) | 74 (5.26) | 34 (4.84) | 40 (5.67) | 0.48 |
| Need for the use of physical restraint at ED, n (%) | 12(0.85) | 9 (1.28) | 3 (0.43) | 0.07 |
| Use of our secure room/security guard system at ED, n (%) | 264 (18.76) | 112 (15.95) | 152 (21.56) | 0.007 |
| Positive toxicologic screening at ED, n (%) | 113 (8.03) | 55 (7.83) | 58 (8.23) | 0.78 |
| Need for specialist consultations in addition to psychiatric consultation at ED, n (%) | 81 (5.76) | 39 (5.56) | 42 (5.96) | 0.75 |
| Need for hospitalization, n (%) | 567 (40.30) | 245 (34.90) | 322 (45.67) | <0.001 |
| Aggressive behavior, n (%) | ||||
| Self-harm | 339 (24.09) | 162 (23.08) | 177 (25.11) | 0.37 |
| Aggressive behavior against others | 383 (27.22) | 214 (30.48) | 169 (23.97) | 0.006 |
| Suicidal ideation | 389 (27.65) | 167 (23.79) | 222 (31.49) | 0.001 |
| Attempted suicide | 141 (10.02) | 47 (6.70) | 94 (13.33) | <0.001 |
| Psychomotor agitation | 823 (58.49) | 458 (65.24) | 365 (51.77) | <0.001 |
| Final diagnosis, n (%) | ||||
| Neurodevelopmental disorder | 61 (4.34) | 33 (4.70) | 28 (3.97) | 0.50 |
| Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders | 79 (5.61) | 48 (6.84) | 31 (4.40) | 0.047 |
| Mood disorders | 361 (25.66) | 157 (22.36) | 204 (28.94) | 0.005 |
| Anxiety disorders | 95 (6.75) | 64 (9.12) | 31 (4.40) | <0.001 |
| Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders | 13 (0.92) | 9 (1.28) | 4 (0.57) | 0.16 |
| Trauma-related dissociation and the dissociative disorders | 27 (1.92) | 13 (1.85) | 14 (1.99) | 0.85 |
| Eating disorders | 173 (12.30) | 73 (10.40) | 100 (14.18) | 0.031 |
| Disruptive, impulse control and conduct disorders | 506 (35.96) | 256 (36.47) | 250 (35.46) | 0.70 |
| Other disorders | 275 (19.55) | 132 (18.80) | 143 (20.28) | 0.48 |