Izvorni znanstveni članak

https://doi.org/10.24869/psyd.2023.92

CHANGING TRENDS OF DIAGNOSES IN A CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRY OUTPATIENT CLINIC BEFORE AND DURING COVID-19: AN ANALYSIS OF REGISTERED DATA

Bahadır Turan ; Autism, Mental Special Needs and Rare Disease Department in Turkish Ministry of Health, General Directorate of Health Services, Ankara, Turkey
Mehmet Akif Akıncı ; Dr. Ali Kemal Belviranlı Maternity and Children Hospital, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Konya, Turkey

Sažetak

Background: Investigating the outpatient clinic admissions of children and adolescents significantly affected by the pandemic is
crucial in developing policy and intervention methods in the future. The aim of this study is to analyze the admissions of child and
adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinics, during the first year since the imposed rearrangements of the COVID-19 pandemic,
compared to the one year before.
Subjects and methods: This study was conducted between March 2019 and March 2021 and the total number of 5833 patients
referred to the hospital was 3168 in the pre-pandemic period (Pre-P) and 2665 in the pandemic (In-P) period. After excluding 78 not
fulfilling inclusion criteria, these screened cases were randomized for 700 patients for Pre-P and 700 for In-P within each group.
Results: Externalization Disorders and Neurodevelopmental Disorders were the most represented diagnoses categories between
the two time periods and showed a statistically significant decrease in admission during the pandemic (p=0.002, p=0.024,
respectively). Internalization disorders and the undiagnosed group showed a statistically significant increase during the pandemic
(p=0.024, p<0.001, respectively). Significant differences were also shown in the treatment plan (need for pharmacological and
psychotherapy) has increased.
Conclusions: This study stands out by providing data on the trend of diagnosis in a child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient
clinic before and during the pandemic period. To dominate these trends would be important to provide a basis for policymakers to
plan appropriate management methods and levels of support for children and adolescents with different mental disorders.

Ključne riječi

COVID-19; mental health; psychiatric diagnoses; diagnostic trends

Hrčak ID:

307261

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/307261

Datum izdavanja:

17.4.2023.

Posjeta: 139 *