Abstract
Objectives: The global health crisis caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly affected various aspects of society, including mental health. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychiatry outpatient clinic consultations.
Materials and Methods: This study analyzed consultations requested from child psychiatry outpatient clinics between March 2019 and March 2021, covering both the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. The consultations were evaluated according to admission symptoms, psychiatric diagnosis and treatment, clinic requirements for consultation, and patient age and gender.
Results: A total of 272 consultations were included in the study, with an average patient age of 11.08 years and 54.8% of the cases being female. Of the consultations, 55.9% (n=152) were requested before the pandemic. During the pandemic, there was a statistically significant increase in the average age of consultations (p=0.035). The number of consultations related to anxiety complaints (p=0.033) and those requiring discharge/referral evaluation (p=0.037) increased, whereas consultations requested for Special Need Reports for Children
(COZGER) evaluation (p=0.000) and physical therapy and rehabilitation services (p=0.003) decreased. Furthermore, there was a higher initiation of antidepressant treatment in consultations evaluated during the pandemic process (p=0.012).
Conclusion: Our findings indicate that during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increase in consultations related to anxiety complaints, an increase in the initiation of antidepressant treatment, and a decrease in COZGER evaluation requests. These changes can be attributed to quarantine measures, flexible work schedules, and the transition to distance education following the pandemic declaration. The results highlight the increased need for psychosocial support for children hospitalized due to medical illnesses, in addition to primary treatment.
Keywords: COVID-19, pandemic, psychiatric consultation, COZGER, antidepressant, child, adolescent
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