Diagnostic and demographic factors of pediatric and adult catatonia hospitalizations: A 2016-2020 National Inpatient Sample Study.

OBJECTIVE: Catatonia is a neuropsychiatric disorder that can occur in patients of any age, but it is uncertain whether patient demographics or underlying diagnoses differ between pediatric and adult patients. This study investigates patients of all ages diagnosed with catatonia during acute care hospitalizations in the United States over a 5-year period. METHOD: The National Inpatient Sample, an all-payors database of acute care hospital discharges, was queried for patients with a discharge diagnosis of catatonia between 2016 and 2020 with patients stratified by age as pediatric (≤18 years) or adult (>18 years). RESULTS: Among 174,776,205 hospitalizations recorded in the NIS from 2016 to 2020, 61,990 (95% CI: 60,257 to 63,723; 0.035%) involved a diagnosis of catatonia. Of these, 3255 were for pediatric patients and 58,735 were for adult patients. Compared with adult patients, pediatric catatonia patients were more likely to be male and non-White. Diagnostically, psychotic disorders, encephalitis, and neurodevelopmental disorders were more common primary discharge diagnoses in pediatric patients, while adult patients more frequently were diagnosed with mood disorders. Length of stay was not significantly different between pediatric and adult catatonia hospitalizations. Physical restraints were commonly applied for patients with catatonia. CONCLUSION: Pediatric and adult catatonia patients differed in sex, race, and diagnosis, although hospital length of stay was not different between pediatric and adult catatonia hospitalizations. These results may inform catatonia diagnosis in the hospital setting and point to disparities that could be targets of quality improvement efforts.

Coding for Physical Restraint Status Among Hospitalized Patients: a 2019 National Inpatient Sample Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The reduction of physical restraint utilization in the hospital setting is a key goal of high-quality care, but little is known about the rate of restraint use in general hospitals in the USA. OBJECTIVE: This study reports the rate of physical restraint coding among acute care hospital discharges in the USA and explores associated demographic and diagnostic factors. DESIGN: The National Inpatient Sample, a de-identified all-payors database of acute care hospital discharges in the USA, was queried for patients aged 18 and older with a diagnosis code for physical restraint status in 2019. PARTICIPANTS: Hospitalized patients aged 18 and older. MAIN MEASURES: Demographics, discharge diagnoses, in-hospital mortality, length of stay, total hospital charges. KEY RESULTS: In total, 220,470 (95% CI: 208,114 to 232,826) hospitalizations, or 0.7% of overall hospitalizations, included a discharge code for physical restraint status. There was a 700-fold difference in coding for restraint utilization based on diagnosis, with 7.4% of patients with encephalitis receiving restraint diagnosis codes compared to < 0.01% of patients with uncomplicated diabetes. In an adjusted model, male sex was associated with an odds ratio of 1.4 (95% CI: 1.4 to 1.5) for restraint utilization coding, and Black race was associated with an odds ratio of 1.3 (95% CI: 1.2 to 1.4) relative to white race. CONCLUSIONS: In the general hospital setting, there is variability in physical restraint coding by sex, race, and clinical diagnosis. More research is needed into the appropriate utilization of restraints in the hospital setting and possible inequities in restraint utilization.

Changes in Inpatient Electroconvulsive Therapy Utilization Between 2019 and 2020: A National Inpatient Sample Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an essential procedure for a range of psychiatric conditions. Multiple single-center studies have documented reduction in ECT administration in 2020 because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, but there have been little nationally representative data from the United States. The aim of this study was to examine the demographics of patients receiving ECT in 2019 and 2020 and to characterize temporal and regional variations in ECT utilization. METHODS: The 2019 and 2020 National Inpatient Sample, an administrative database of inpatient hospitalizations in the United States, was queried for hospitalizations involving the delivery of ECT based on procedural codes. Overall number of ECT procedures was calculated based on the overall number of ECT procedural claims. RESULTS: In the 2019 NIS, 14,230 inpatient hospitalizations (95% confidence interval, 12,936-15,524) involved the use of ECT, with a cumulative 52,450 inpatient ECT procedures administered. In 2020, the number of inpatient hospitalizations with ECT decreased to 12,055 (95% confidence interval, 10,878-13,232), with a 10.0% reduction in overall procedures to 47,180. Whereas January and February ECT hospitalizations were comparable in both years, ECT hospitalizations decreased by more than 25% in March through May 2020 relative to 2019 volume. There was regional variability in the change in ECT utilization between 2019 and 2020. CONCLUSIONS: Electroconvulsive therapy use among general hospital inpatients declined between 2019 and 2020, with regional variability in the magnitude of change. Further study is warranted into the root causes and optimal responses to these changes.

Enhancing the wellness of caregivers of individuals with epilepsy: The effects of a brief stress management course.

PURPOSE: To determine whether a brief stress management video can improve the quality of life of caregivers of persons with epilepsy (PWE). METHODS: Thirty-three adult caregivers of PWE who scored 5 or higher on the Caregiver Self-Assessment Questionnaire (CSAQ) completed a 30-min stress management video. This was preceded by a pre-intervention assessment, followed by post-intervention assessment at 1 month, and a delayed post-intervention assessment evaluation 3 months after video was viewed. Measures of program acceptability were also obtained. RESULTS: There was significant improvement when comparing pre- and post-intervention CSAQ scores. This improvement was sustained at 3 months post intervention. Measures of program acceptability were favorable. CONCLUSION: A brief stress management course can help improve the quality of life of caregivers of PWE.

Neurocovid: Pharmacological Recommendations for Delirium Associated With COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has emerged as one of the biggest health threats of our generation. A significant portion of patients are presenting with delirium and neuropsychiatric sequelae of the disease. Unique examination findings and responses to treatment have been identified. OBJECTIVE: In this article, we seek to provide pharmacologic and treatment recommendations specific to delirium in patients with COVID-19. METHODS: We performed a literature search reviewing the neuropsychiatric complications and treatments in prior coronavirus epidemics including Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronaviruses, as well as the emerging literature regarding COVID-19. We also convened a work group of consultation-liaison psychiatrists actively managing patients with COVID-19 in our hospital. Finally, we synthesized these findings to provide preliminary pharmacologic recommendations for treating delirium in these patients. RESULTS: Delirium is frequently found in patients who test positive for COVID-19, even in the absence of respiratory symptoms. There appears to be a higher rate of agitation, myoclonus, abulia, and alogia. No data are currently available on the treatment of delirium in patients with COVID-19. Extrapolating from general delirium treatment, Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome/severe acute respiratory syndrome case reports, and our experience, preliminary recommendations for pharmacologic management have been assembled. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 is associated with neuropsychiatric symptoms. Low-potency neuroleptics and alpha-2 adrenergic agents may be especially useful in this setting. Further research into the pathophysiology of COVID-19 will be key in developing more targeted treatment guidelines.

The effects of a brief memory enhancement course on individuals with epilepsy.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to determine whether a brief memory enhancement course in persons with epilepsy (PWE) can improve cognitive abilities, quality of life, self-management, and seizure severity. METHODS: Thirty-nine PWE completed a 1-hour memory enhancement course. This was preceded by a baseline/preintervention assessment (BA/PRE), followed by postintervention assessment (POST) at 1 & 1/2 to 3 months, and a delayed postintervention assessment evaluation (DPOST) at 4 & 1/2 to 6 months after course completion. In order to assess for retesting bias, an additional 30 PWE underwent a separate BA and PRE. RESULTS: There was significant improvement on the Patient-Reported Outcomes Patient Information System version 2.0 Cognitive Function Abilities Subset and the Epilepsy Self-Management Scale (ESMS) on both POST and DPOST when compared with BA/PRE. Retesting bias did not occur. On ESMS subscale evaluation, significant improvement occurred on the Lifestyle Management subscale. There was no improvement in quality of life and seizure severity. There was good patient acceptability for the memory program. CONCLUSION: A brief memory enhancement course results in sustained improvement in cognitive functioning and self-management of PWE.

Comparison of Initial Psychological Treatment Selections by US and Japanese Early-Career Psychiatrists for Patients with Major Depression: A Case Vignette Study.

OBJECTIVE: The authors compared early-career psychiatrists' selection of psychological treatments for patients with mild to moderate major depressive disorder (MDD) in the US and Japan. METHODS: A total of 120 early-career psychiatrists from two residency programs in the US and Japan participated in web-based surveys. The psychiatrists selected first- and second-line psychological treatments in response to two case vignettes of patients with mild and moderate MDD. RESULTS: Eighty-one psychiatrists (68%) returned the surveys, of whom 39 (48%) were American and 42 (52%) Japanese. In response to the mild MDD case, more US psychiatrists selected high-intensity psychological treatments (P < 0.001), whereas more Japanese psychiatrists selected low-intensity psychological treatments (P < 0.001). In both countries, more psychiatrists selected psychological treatment than medication. In response to the moderate MDD case, one third of the US psychiatrists selected high-intensity psychological treatments (P < 0.001), whereas half of the Japanese psychiatrists selected low-intensity psychological treatments (P = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: Residency training, availability of psychological treatments, and cultural beliefs may shape differences in treatment selections, which in turn may impact the dissemination and implementation of psychological treatment in clinical practice across cultures.

Comparison of treatment selections by Japanese and US psychiatrists for major depressive disorder: A case vignette study.

AIMS: A review of the published work on treatments for major depressive disorder suggests that there is an alarming gap between guideline recommendations and actual clinical practices worldwide. The purpose of this study was to compare early-career psychiatrists' selections of treatment for mild to moderate major depression in Japan and the USA. METHODS: The authors surveyed 120 early-career psychiatrists from two residency programs in Japan and the USA using web-based questionnaires. In response to two case vignettes of mild to moderate major depression, the subjects selected treatment modalities and first- and second-line pharmacotherapy. RESULTS: Eighty-one psychiatrists (68%) returned surveys, of whom 42 (52%) were Japanese and 39 (48%) American. Fewer Japanese subjects selected psychotherapy than Americans. The Japanese psychiatrists favored benzodiazepine monotherapy for the treatment of mild depression, whereas the American psychiatrists favored antidepressant monotherapy. For the initial treatment of moderate depression, approximately half of the Japanese selected antidepressant monotherapy, and a quarter selected benzodiazepine monotherapy, whereas the Americans unanimously selected selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors monotherapy. As a second-line strategy, the Japanese were more likely to augment medication and less likely to increase dosage for moderate depression than their American counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Differences were found between the treatment selections of early-career psychiatrists in Japan and the USA, despite comparable guidelines and postgraduate training. The results suggest that the gap between guidelines and practice may also be shaped by physician workload, attitudes toward side-effects, and the sociocultural contexts in which clinical decisions are made.

Ethnoracial disparities in care on a consultation-liaison service at an academic hospital.

BACKGROUND: There is currently an increasing recognition of and focus on structural and institutional racism and its impacts on health disparities. In psychiatry and mental health, research has focused on racial and ethnic disparities in the availability and utilization of mental health services, care in emergency departments, and inpatient psychiatric services. Little is known about disparities in care on general hospital psychiatry consultation-liaison (CL) services. METHODS: In this exploratory study, we conducted a retrospective chart review using electronic health record (EHR) data of all adults (≥ 18 years of age) admitted to inpatient medical or surgical floors at an urban academic medical center for whom a psychiatric consultation was requested during the study period. We examined differences by race and ethnicity in: rates of consultation requests; use of legal holds, constant observation, restraints; follow-up by the CL service; and ultimate disposition. RESULTS: The service received 310 unique consults during the study period. Compared to hospital-wide numbers, Black-identifying patients were over-represented in our sample (11.9% vs 6.6%), while Latinx patients were underrepresented (6.1% vs 9.8%). Of the clinical and outcome variables collected, there were higher odds of being placed on a legal hold both prior to (OR 2.6) and after the consult question (OR 2.98) and in the odds of having a one-to-one observer prior to (OR 2.47) and after (OR 2.9) the initial consult visit for Black-identifying patients, when adjusting for confounders. There were no other measurable differences in care or outcomes by racial or ethnic categories. CONCLUSION: Black-identifying patients may be more likely to receive psychiatric consultation and be placed on legal holds because of a combination of chronic adverse social determinants of health and race-based bias. Conversely, Latinx patients may be less likely to receive psychiatric consultation because of language barriers among other factors. The lack of disparities identified in other domains may be encouraging, but larger studies are needed. Further research is also needed to identify causality and interventions that could help close the gap in care and outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities.

Co-Occurring Catatonia and COVID-19 Diagnoses Among Hospitalized Individuals in 2020: A National Inpatient Sample Analysis.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is associated with a range of neuropsychiatric manifestations. While case reports and case series have reported catatonia in the setting of COVID-19 infection, its rate has been poorly characterized. OBJECTIVE: This study reports the co-occurrence of catatonia and COVID-19 diagnoses among acute care hospital discharges in the United States in 2020. METHODS: The National Inpatient Sample, an all-payors database of acute care hospital discharges, was queried for patients of any age discharged with a diagnosis of catatonia and COVID-19 in 2020. RESULTS: Among 32,355,827 hospitalizations in the 2020 National Inpatient Sample, an estimated 15,965 (95% confidence interval: 14,992-16,938) involved a diagnosis of catatonia without COVID-19 infection, 1,678,385 (95% confidence interval: 1,644,738-1,712,022) involved a diagnosis of COVID-19 without a co-occurring catatonia diagnosis, and 610 (95% confidence interval: 578-642) involved both catatonia and COVID-19 infection. In an adjusted model, a diagnosis of COVID-19, but not a diagnosis of catatonia or the combination of catatonia and COVID-19, was associated with increased mortality. Patients with catatonia and COVID-19 were frequently diagnosed with encephalopathy and delirium codes. CONCLUSIONS: Catatonia and COVID-19 were rarely co-diagnosed in 2020, and catatonia diagnosis was not associated with increased mortality in patients with COVID-19. Further research is needed to better characterize the phenomenology of catatonia in the setting of COVID-19 infection and its optimal treatment.

The use of electroconvulsive therapy for children and adolescents in general hospitals: A 2019 kids' inpatient database analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) devices are classified as class II (moderate risk) for the treatment of depressive disorders and catatonia in patients aged 13 and older, but it is unknown how often the treatment is utilized by child and adolescent patients. The aim of this study was to examine the demographics of child and adolescent hospitalizations involving ECT, the medical and psychiatric comorbidities of these hospitalizations, and the overall number of treatments administered per hospitalization. METHOD: The 2019 Kids' Inpatient Database, a national sample of pediatric discharges from 3998 acute care hospitals, was analyzed for hospitalizations involving patients aged 19 and younger receiving ECT based on inpatient procedural codes. RESULTS: 315 (95% confidence interval 275 to 354) discharges among child and adolescent patients, or 0.03% of youth hospitalizations, involved the administration of ECT in the KID in 2019. Hospitalizations in the Northeast, those involving patients residing in ZIP codes in the top income quartile, and those for commercially insured patients had higher odds of ECT administration. Primary discharge diagnoses among ECT recipients were major depressive disorder (143; 46.4%), schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders (71; 23.1%) and bipolar disorder (59; 19.2%). In total 153 (48.6%) of ECT recipients had a coded diagnosis of suicidal ideation. Hospitalizations involved a median of 2 (IQR 1 to 5) ECT treatments before discharge. CONCLUSIONS: ECT is rarely utilized in the inpatient treatment of child and adolescent patients, but is most often administered to patients with mood and psychotic disorders. Commercial insurance and higher income were associated with higher odds of ECT administration, suggesting that access to care may be limited.

The Diagnosis of Malingering in General Hospitals in the United States: A Retrospective Analysis of the National Inpatient Sample.

Objective: To characterize the socio-demographics and comorbid medical and psychiatric diagnoses of patients in the general hospital diagnosed with malingering. Method: We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study using data from the 2019 National Inpatient Sample, an all-payors database of acute care general hospital discharges in the United States, querying for patients aged 18 and older discharged with a diagnosis of "malingerer [conscious simulation]," ICD-10 code Z76.5. Results: 45,645 hospitalizations (95% CI: 43,503 to 47,787) during the study year included a discharge diagnosis of malingering. 56.1% were for male patients, and the median age was 43 years (IQR 33 to 54). Black patients represented 26.8% of the patients with a discharge diagnosis of malingering, compared to 14.9% of all patients sampled. Zip codes in the lowest household income quartile comprised 39.9% of malingering diagnoses. The top categories of primary discharge diagnoses of hospitalizations included medical ("Diabetes mellitus without complications"), psychiatric ("Depressive disorders"), and substance use ("Alcohol-related disorders") disorders. "Sepsis, unspecified organism," was the most common primary diagnosis. Conclusion: The striking overrepresentation of Black patients in hospitalizations with diagnosis of malingering raises concern about the roles of implicit and systemic biases in assigning this label. The disproportionate number of patients of low socioeconomic status is further suggestive of bias and disparity. Another potential contribution is that the lower health literacy in these populations results in a limited knowledge of traditional ways to meet one's needs and thus greater reliance on malingered behavior as an alternative means. Accurate description of these patients' socio-demographics and comorbid medical and psychiatric diagnoses with reliable data from large samples can lead to improved understanding of how the malingering label is applied and ultimately better patient care.

Demographic Features, Physical Examination Findings, and Medication Use in Hospitalized, Delirious Patients With and Without COVID-19 Infection: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Delirium is common in the setting of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Anecdotal evidence and case reports suggest that patients with delirium in the setting of Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) may exhibit specific features, including increased tone, abulia, and alogia. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether differences exist in sociodemographic and medical characteristics, physical examination findings, and medication use in delirious patients with and without COVID-19 infection referred for psychiatric consultation. METHODS: We undertook an exploratory, retrospective chart review of 486 patients seen by the psychiatry consultation service at a tertiary care hospital from March 10 to May 15, 2020. Delirious patients were diagnosed via clinical examination by a psychiatric consultant, and these patients were stratified by COVID-19 infection status. The strata were described and compared using bivariate analyses across sociodemographic, historical, objective, and treatment-related variables. RESULTS: A total of 109 patients were diagnosed with delirium during the study period. Thirty-six were COVID-19+. Median age was 63 years and did not differ between groups. COVID-19+ patients with delirium were more likely to present from nursing facilities (39% vs 11%; Fisher's exact test; P = 0.001) and have a history of schizophrenia (11% vs 0%; Fisher's exact test; P = 0.011). Myoclonus (28% vs 4%; P = 0.002), hypertonia (36% vs 10%; P = 0.003), withdrawal (36% vs 15%; P = 0.011), akinesia (19% vs 6%; P = 0.034), abulia (19% vs 3%; P = 0.004), and alogia (25% vs 8%; P = 0.012) were more common in COVID-19+ patients. COVID-19+ delirious patients were significantly more likely to have received ketamine (28% vs 7%; P = 0.006), alpha-adrenergic agents besides dexmedetomidine (36% vs 14%; P = 0.014), and enteral antipsychotics (92% vs 66%; P = 0.007) at some point. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with COVID-19 delirium referred for psychiatric consultation are more likely to reside in nursing facilities and have a history of schizophrenia than delirious patients without COVID-19. Patients with delirium in the setting of COVID-19 may exhibit features consistent with akinetic mutism. Psychiatrists must assess for such features, as they may influence management choices and the risk of side effects with agents commonly used in the setting of delirium.

The occurrence of catatonia diagnosis in acute care hospitals in the United States: A national inpatient sample analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Catatonia is a neuropsychiatric disorder that can occur in the setting of many illnesses, but the frequency of catatonia diagnosis among hospitalized patients is poorly characterized. This study reports the occurrence of catatonia diagnosis among acute care hospital discharges in the United States and the cooccurring diagnoses of these patients. METHOD: The National Inpatient Sample, an all-payors database of acute care hospital discharges, was queried for patients older than 18 discharged with a diagnosis of catatonia in 2019. RESULTS: 13,630 encounters among the 30,080,038 adult hospitalizations in the NIS during the study year included a diagnosis of catatonia. Total hospital charges for these admissions were $1.15 billion, with 215,165 cumulative hospital days. In this sample, approximately 60% of admissions had a primary psychiatric discharge diagnosis, while 40% had a primary neurologic or medical discharge diagnosis. Procedures were performed in 36.7% of hospitalizations involving catatonia, of which electroconvulsive therapy was most common. CONCLUSIONS: Catatonia is a rare but costly discharge diagnosis among patients in acute care hospitals. It occurs across the age spectrum and is associated with a range of medical and psychiatric comorbidities. Further research is needed to better characterize the occurrence of catatonia and its optimal treatment.

Interdisciplinary Care for Amputees Network: A Novel Approach to the Management of Amputee Patient Populations.

Extremity amputation remains a common intervention for limb-threatening conditions. With advancement in surgical technique to address deleterious postoperative sequelae of limb removal, there is a salient need to develop and operationalize interdisciplinary care frameworks to provide more comprehensive care to an otherwise challenging patient population. Herein, we describe our interdisciplinary approach to the management of amputee patient populations at our institution, referred to as the Interdisciplinary Care for Amputees Network (ICAN). This novel framework focuses on 3 fundamental areas: combined preoperative patient evaluation, orthoplastic surgical intervention, and multi-specialty postoperative functional and psychosocial rehabilitation. Importantly, the successful implementation of a combined orthoplastic clinic requires establishing a working relationship among providers to leverage increased provider familiarity. This, coupled with sufficient clinic space, dedicated operating room time, and standardized patient workflow, serves to improve care and meet patient goals of pain minimization, return to desired functional status, and improvement in quality of life.

Evaluating the association between COVID-19 and psychiatric presentations, suicidal ideation in an emergency department.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the association between COVID-19 and Emergency Department (ED) psychiatric presentations, including suicidal ideation. METHODS: Using an interrupted time series design, we analyzed psychiatric presentations using electronic health record data in an academic medical center ED between 2018 and 2020. We used regression models to assess the association between the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak and certain psychiatric presentations. The period February 26-March 6, 2020 was used to define patterns in psychiatric presentations before and after the coronavirus outbreak. RESULTS: We found a 36.2% decrease (unadjusted) in ED psychiatric consults following the coronavirus outbreak, as compared to the previous year. After accounting for underlying trends, our results estimate significant differential change associated with suicidal ideation and substance use disorder (SUD) presentations following the outbreak. Specifically, we noted a significant differential increase in presentations with suicidal ideation six weeks after the outbreak (36.4 percentage points change; 95% CI: 5.3, 67.6). For presentations with SUD, we found a differential increase in the COVID-19 time series relative to the comparison time series at all post-outbreak time points and this differential increase was significant three weeks (32.8 percentage points; 95% CI: 4.0, 61.6) following the outbreak. Our results estimate no differential changes significant at the P value < 0.05 level associated with affective disorder or psychotic disorder presentations in the COVID-19 time series relative to the comparator time series. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 outbreak in Boston was associated with significant differential increases in ED presentations with suicidal ideation and SUD.

Trends in suicidal ideation in an emergency department during COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to detail changes in presentations at a United States Emergency Department for suicidality before and after the outbreak of COVID-19. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted of all adult patients who presented to an ED with suicidality and underwent psychiatric consultation during the study period. The cohorts consisted of patients who presented between December 2018 - May 2019 and December 2019 - May 2020. Information was collected on demographics, characteristics of suicidality, reasons for suicidality and disposition. The first wave from March - May 2020 was examined, using a difference-in-differences design to control for factors other than COVID-19 that may have influenced the outcomes' trend. RESULTS: Immediately following the pandemic outbreak there was a statistically significant increase in the proportion of undomiciled patients represented in visits for suicidality (40.7% vs. 57.4%; p-value <0.001). In addition, the proportion of patient visits attributed to social (18.0% vs. 29.2%; p-value 0.003) and structural (14.2% vs. 26.4%; p value <0.001) reasons for suicidality increased. Conversely, the proportion of visits due to psychiatric symptoms (70.5% vs 50.0%; p-value <0.001) decreased. Furthermore, patient visits were more likely to result in a medical admission (2.1% vs. 8.3%; p-value 0.002) and less likely to result in a psychiatric admission (68.4% vs 48.6%; p-value <0.001) during the initial phase of the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 was associated with increased ED presentations for suicidality among undomiciled patients, as well as greater likelihood of social and structural reasons driving suicidality among all visits.

Mental health interventions following COVID-19 and other coronavirus infections: a systematic review of current recommendations and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: To review the most common mental health strategies aimed at alleviating and/or preventing mental health problems in individuals during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and other coronavirus pandemics. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of the literature assessing three databases (PubMed, SCOPUS, and PsycINFO). A meta-analysis was performed with data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). For non-RCT studies, a critical description of recommendations was performed. RESULTS: From a total of 2,825 articles, 125 were included. Of those, three RCTs were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis revealed that the interventions promoted better overall mental health outcomes as compared to control groups (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.87 [95%CI 0.33-1.41], p < 0.001, I2 = 69.2%), but did not specifically improve anxiety (SMD = 0.98 [95%CI -0.17 to 2.13], p > 0.05; I2 = 36.8%). Concerning the systematic review, we found a large body of scientific literature proposing recommendations involving psychological/psychiatric interventions, self-care, education, governmental programs, and the use of technology and media. CONCLUSIONS: We found a large body of expert recommendations that may help health practitioners, institutional and governmental leaders, and the general population cope with mental health issues during a pandemic or a crisis period. However, most articles had a low level of evidence, stressing the need for more studies with better design (especially RCTs) investigating potential mental health interventions during COVID-19. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42020190212.