Massimiliano Beghi1, Riccardo Brandolini2,3, Ilaria Casolaro4, Ettore Beghi5, Cesare Maria Cornaggia6, Carlo Fraticelli4, Giovanni De Paoli1, Claudio Ravani7, Giulio Castelpietra8,9, Silvia Ferrari10,11. 1. Department of Mental Health, AUSL Romagna, Cesena, Italy. 2. Department of Mental Health and Pathological Dependencies, AUSL Romagna, Ravenna, Italy. 3. Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, Psychiatry Unit, Alma Mater Studiorum, Bologna, Italy. 4. Department of Mental Health and Addictions, ASST Lariana, Como, Italy. 5. Department of Neurosciences, IRSST Mario Negri, Milan, Italy. 6. School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy. 7. Department of Mental Health, AUSL Romagna, Forlì, Italy. 8. Central Health Directorate, Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Trieste, Italy. 9. Department of Medicine (DAME), University of Udine, Udine, Italy. 10. Department of Biomedical Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena & Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy. 11. Department of Mental Health, AUSL Modena, Modena, Italy.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: An observation of the admissions to the emergency room (ER) requiring psychiatric evaluation during the lockdown and investigation of the demographic and clinical variables. METHODS: Retrospective longitudinal observational study of ER accesses for psychiatric evaluation was performed, comparing two periods (9 March-3 May 2020 vs. 9 March-3 May 2019). Data (number of admissions, key baseline demographic and clinical variables) were extracted from the ER databases of referral centres in a well-defined geographic area of North-Eastern Italy (Cesena, Ravenna, Forlì, and Rimini). RESULTS: A 15% reduction of psychiatric referrals was observed, together with a 17% reduction in the total number of patients referring to the ER. This reduction was most evident in the first month of the lockdown period (almost 25% reduction of both referrals and patients). Female gender (OR: 1.52: 95%, CI: 1.12-2.06) and being a local resident (OR: 1.54: 95%CI: 1.02-2.34) were factors associated with the decrease. CONCLUSIONS: Lockdown changed dramatically health priorities in the local population, including people with mental health. We speculate that our observations do not only refer to the confinement due to the lockdown regime but also to fear of contagion and adoption of different coping strategies, especially in women.Key-pointsDuring lockdown 15% reduction of psychiatric visits and >17% reduction in the number of psychiatric patients referring to the ER was observed.in the first four weeks of the lockdown almost 25% reduction of both visits and patients was observedFemale gender and being a local resident were factors associated with the decrease.
OBJECTIVES: An observation of the admissions to the emergency room (ER) requiring psychiatric evaluation during the lockdown and investigation of the demographic and clinical variables. METHODS: Retrospective longitudinal observational study of ER accesses for psychiatric evaluation was performed, comparing two periods (9 March-3 May 2020 vs. 9 March-3 May 2019). Data (number of admissions, key baseline demographic and clinical variables) were extracted from the ER databases of referral centres in a well-defined geographic area of North-Eastern Italy (Cesena, Ravenna, Forlì, and Rimini). RESULTS: A 15% reduction of psychiatric referrals was observed, together with a 17% reduction in the total number of patients referring to the ER. This reduction was most evident in the first month of the lockdown period (almost 25% reduction of both referrals and patients). Female gender (OR: 1.52: 95%, CI: 1.12-2.06) and being a local resident (OR: 1.54: 95%CI: 1.02-2.34) were factors associated with the decrease. CONCLUSIONS: Lockdown changed dramatically health priorities in the local population, including people with mental health. We speculate that our observations do not only refer to the confinement due to the lockdown regime but also to fear of contagion and adoption of different coping strategies, especially in women.Key-pointsDuring lockdown 15% reduction of psychiatric visits and >17% reduction in the number of psychiatric patients referring to the ER was observed.in the first four weeks of the lockdown almost 25% reduction of both visits and patients was observedFemale gender and being a local resident were factors associated with the decrease.