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Covid-19 and impulsivity: an evaluation of self-harm admissions in emergency care

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

A. Mariano ,
R. Santini ,
T. Jannini ,
F. Di Michele ,
F. Bianchi ,
A. Siracusano  and
C. Niolu
A. Mariano*
Affiliation:
University of Rome Tor Vergata, Department Of System Medicine, Rome, Italy
R. Santini
Affiliation:
University of Rome Tor Vergata, Department Of System Medicine, Rome, Italy
T. Jannini
Affiliation:
University of Rome Tor Vergata, Department Of System Medicine, Rome, Italy
F. Di Michele
Affiliation:
University of Rome Tor Vergata, Department Of System Medicine, Rome, Italy
F. Bianchi
Affiliation:
University of Rome Tor Vergata, Department Of System Medicine, Rome, Italy
A. Siracusano
Affiliation:
University of Rome Tor Vergata, Department Of System Medicine, Rome, Italy
C. Niolu
Affiliation:
University of Rome Tor Vergata, Department Of System Medicine, Rome, Italy
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Several studies highlighted how COVID-19-related isolation and quarantine deeply weighed on the mental health of both the general and psychiatric population. There has been limited investigation about self-harm and impulsivity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives

The aim of this study is to evaluate how COVID-19-related lockdown affected self-harm rates in an Italian hospital.

Methods

Data on 59 patients were retrospectively collected from the Emercency deparment of the Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, from March 11 to May 4, 2020 (Italian mass quarantine) and the same periods of 2019 and 2021. Demographics, psychiatric history, substance use/abuse, types of self-harm and admission in psychiatric acute unit (PAU) rates were recorded.

Results

No statistical difference was reported in self-harm rates [9.8%(26/266) in 2019 vs 13.2%(10/76) in 2020 vs 10.7%(23/215) in 2021;p>0.05]. In 2020 subjects were younger (31.9±12.1 vs 39.2±14.4,p=0.22;vs 38.1±14.4;p=0.15) and had higher incidence of psychiatric history [90%(9/10) vs 73.1%(19/26), p=0.42;vs 65.2% (15/23),p=0.29],than 2019 and 2021 respectively. Substance use/abuse rates were significantly lower in 2020 compared to 2019 and 2021 [10%(1/10) vs 53.8%(14/26),p=0.04;vs 60.9% (14/23), p=0.02]. In 2020, subjects committing self-harms were more frequently admitted to PAU compared to 2019 and 2021 [60%(6/10)vs19.2%(5/26),p=0.04; vs 17.4% (4/23), p=0.04).

Conclusions

Consistent with the literature, lockdown-related measures negatively impacted on younger people, with higher rates of self-harm between March and May 2020. This, together with a higher rate of admissions to PAU, should warn the mental health system to target with specific programs to support adolescents and youngers.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Keywords

emergency careself-harmImpulsivityCovid-19
Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 65 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 30th European Congress of Psychiatry , June 2022 , pp. S121
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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