The number of emergency room visits at Sainte-Justine hospital for mental health rose nearly 70% in the first 20 months of the pandemic, a new study shows.
The phenomenon is more marked in girls than in boys, the research authors identified.
Several researchers in Montreal, including Drs. Olivier Drouin and Nicholas Chadi, from CHU Sainte-Justine, took part in this work, focusing on all visits made to the emergency room of the pediatric hospital of children aged 5 to 17 between months. of April 2016 and November 2021.
They found that the average monthly number of ER visits for mental health reasons jumped 69% in the first 20 months of the health crisis; this increase decreased slightly, to 44%, when adjusting the data for seasonal changes.
Girls were more likely than boys to present to the emergency department because of mental health concerns, but no differences were found related to socioeconomic status.
The greater presence of girls is likely to be attributed to many factorssaid Dr. Chadi.
Initially, girls showed up more than boys for mental health reasonshe pointed out. Do girls seek more care or do girls have more psychological distress? Does the loss of social activities, sports activities, extracurricular activities affect women more than men? I think that also enters.
Another important component is increasing the screen duration during a pandemic. Then came social media, comparisons with others and eating disorders, the specialist said, and it was felt very strongly by the girls.
” We have never had so many young people hospitalized for eating disorders. In emergencies, it’s unbelievable, we have so many young people with thoughts and suicide attempts. “
While the use of mental health services and resources decreased somewhat in the first months of the pandemicsaid Dr. Chadi, this use was overpaid, then eventually exceeded.
Whether it is anxiety disorder, mood disorder, eating disorder, substance abuse or neglect, for all these conditions, it remained higher than the averages and normal expectations for the rest of 2021said Dr. Chadi, who was recently awarded the Victor-Marchessault Prize for Child Advocacy by the Canadian Pediatric Society.
I see it a little bit as the tip of the iceberg because emergency services are definitely in a tertiary hospital [comme Sainte-Justine]these are young people who are more likely to have greater anxiety, more suffering, or lose access to their regular services or careHe added.
The pandemic had complex access to services such as therapists or psychologists, which made the emergency room the most accessible resource, Dr. explains. Chadi.
We have still had an increase in the last 10 years of mental health problems in young people and it has been exacerbated by the pandemic.he said in conclusion. We really need to make sure that we are there to support our young people, even in terms of community service, healthcare, schools … We should not hesitate to continue looking for innovative solutions.
The findings of this study were published in a medical journal Records of General Psychiatry.
The Canadian Press
The Canadian Press
Source: Radio-Canada
