Jun Ho Seo1, Se Joo Kim2, Myeongjee Lee3, Jee In Kang4. 1. Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine & Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei-ro 50-1, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea; Graduate School, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 2. Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine & Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei-ro 50-1, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea. 3. Biostatistics Collaboration Unit, Department of Biomedical Systems Informatics, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 4. Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine & Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei-ro 50-1, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: jeeinkang@yuhs.ac.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The aim was to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health service use according to mental disorder diagnosis among psychiatric outpatients. METHODS: Psychiatric outpatient visits and patient diagnostic information were extracted from the EHR(electronic health records) of a Korean tertiary hospital during 3 months of the COVID-19 pandemic and 3 months before the COVID-19 outbreak. Visit rates of psychiatric outpatients according to primary psychiatric diagnosis category before and after the COVID-19 pandemic were compared using an over-dispersed Poisson regression model. The temporal associations between the number of daily outpatient visits and the daily number of newly confirmed cases were examined by time-series analysis within each diagnosis category. RESULTS: Total daily outpatient visit rate was significantly reduced during the pandemic. Among the nine most prevalent diagnosis categories, the daily visit rates for anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders were significantly reduced by about 29.8%, 14.8%, and 13.3% respectively. Time-series analysis showed significant temporal correlations between the daily number of newly confirmed cases and the daily visit rates for anxiety disorders and depressive disorders, whereas patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders showed no significant temporal association. LIMITATIONS: Potential confounding factors unrelated to the pandemic might have influenced the results. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings suggest that patients with anxiety or depressive disorders may have concerns regarding the spread of COVID-19, and may be more reluctant to visit psychiatry outpatient clinics. Delivery strategies for mental healthcare services, such as telepsychiatry, would be helpful to enhance continuity of care during the pandemic.
BACKGROUND: The aim was to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health service use according to mental disorder diagnosis among psychiatric outpatients. METHODS:Psychiatricoutpatient visits and patient diagnostic information were extracted from the EHR(electronic health records) of a Korean tertiary hospital during 3 months of the COVID-19 pandemic and 3 months before the COVID-19 outbreak. Visit rates of psychiatric outpatients according to primary psychiatric diagnosis category before and after the COVID-19 pandemic were compared using an over-dispersed Poisson regression model. The temporal associations between the number of daily outpatient visits and the daily number of newly confirmed cases were examined by time-series analysis within each diagnosis category. RESULTS: Total daily outpatient visit rate was significantly reduced during the pandemic. Among the nine most prevalent diagnosis categories, the daily visit rates for anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders were significantly reduced by about 29.8%, 14.8%, and 13.3% respectively. Time-series analysis showed significant temporal correlations between the daily number of newly confirmed cases and the daily visit rates for anxiety disorders and depressive disorders, whereas patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders showed no significant temporal association. LIMITATIONS: Potential confounding factors unrelated to the pandemic might have influenced the results. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings suggest that patients with anxiety or depressive disorders may have concerns regarding the spread of COVID-19, and may be more reluctant to visit psychiatry outpatient clinics. Delivery strategies for mental healthcare services, such as telepsychiatry, would be helpful to enhance continuity of care during the pandemic.
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