Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Psychiatric Admissions to a Large Swiss Emergency Department: An Observational Study

Julia Ambrosetti, Laura Macheret, Aline Folliet, Alexandre Wullschleger, Andrea Amerio, Andrea Aguglia, Gianluca Serafini, Paco Prada, Stefan Kaiser, Guido Bondolfi, François Sarasin and Alessandra Costanza
Additional contact information
Julia Ambrosetti: Emergency Psychiatric Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Emergency (UAUP), Geneva University Hospitals (HUG), 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Laura Macheret: Emergency Psychiatric Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Emergency (UAUP), Geneva University Hospitals (HUG), 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Aline Folliet: Emergency Psychiatric Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Department of Emergency (UAUP), Geneva University Hospitals (HUG), 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
Alexandre Wullschleger: Adult Psychiatry Division, Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Geneva (HUG), 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
Andrea Amerio: Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
Andrea Aguglia: Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
Gianluca Serafini: Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
Paco Prada: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva (UNIGE), 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
Stefan Kaiser: Adult Psychiatry Division, Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Geneva (HUG), 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
Guido Bondolfi: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva (UNIGE), 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
François Sarasin: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva (UNIGE), 1206 Geneva, Switzerland
Alessandra Costanza: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva (UNIGE), 1206 Geneva, Switzerland

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 3, 1-10

Abstract: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a public health emergency with profound mental health consequences. The psychiatric emergency department (ED) plays a key role during this mental health crisis. This study aimed to investigate differences in admissions at a Swiss psychiatric ED from 1 April to 15 May during a “pandemic-free” period in 2016 and a “during-pandemic” period in 2020. The study included 579 consultations at psychiatric ED in the “during-pandemic” period and 702 in the “pandemic-free” period. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were compared, and logistic regression analysis was performed to identify variables associated with psychiatric admissions during the pandemic. A reduction in total psychiatric ED admissions was documented during COVID-19. Logistic regression analysis predicted the independent variable (ED admission during the pandemic) and estimated odds ratio (OR) for being unmarried/not in a relationship, arrival in an ambulance, suicidal behavior, behavioral disorders and psychomotor agitation. Though only statistically significant in bivariate analysis, patients were also more likely to be involuntarily hospitalized. This picture appears to be reversed from a sociodemographic and clinical point of view to our observation of psychiatric ED consultation in 2016. These findings highlight that the reduction in psychiatric ED admissions during the pandemic seems to be associated with living alone and more severe psychopathologies, which must alert psychiatrists to ensure access to mental health care in times of pandemic.

Keywords: coronavirus; COVID-19 pandemic; depression; emergency department; public mental health; psychiatric admissions; psychotic episode; substance use disorder; suicide; suicidal behavior (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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