Admission rates and clinical profiles of children and youth with eating disorders treated as inpatients before and during the Covid-19 pandemic in a German university hospital

Bibliographic Data

ID22072876
AuthorsAnn-Sophie Silber (Goethe University Frankfurt, corresponding author), Simeon Platte (0009-0001-3429-8306, Goethe University Frankfurt), Afsheen Kumar (Goethe University Frankfurt), Sukhdeep Arora (Goethe University Frankfurt), Dennis Kadioglu (0000-0002-1561-4924, Goethe University Frankfurt), Marvin Schmidt (0000-0002-2112-5983, Goethe University Frankfurt), Holger Storf (0000-0001-8126-9535, Goethe University Frankfurt), Andreas G Chiocchetti (0000-0002-7329-9985, Goethe University Frankfurt), Christine M Freitag (0000-0001-9676-4782, Goethe University Frankfurt)
Year2023
Volume11
Pages1281363-1281363
Publication date2023-11-30
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueFrontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565
PublisherFrontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3389/fpubh.2023.1281363
PMID38098830
OpenAlexW4389199727
LanguageEN
References cited47

Introduction: Children and youth at risk for mental health disorders, such as eating disorders (ED), were particularly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, yet evidence for the most seriously affected and thus hospitalized youth in Germany is scarce. Methods: = 2,849) to the Department of Child and Adolescence Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy (DCAPPP) of a German University Hospital between 01/2016 and 02/2022. Absolute and relative number of inpatients with or without ED prior to (01/2016-02/2020) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (03/2020-02/2022) were compared. The effect of school closures as part of social lockdown measures for COVID-19 mitigation on inpatient admission rate was explored as it has been discussed as a potential risk factor for mental health problems in youth. Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, ED inpatient admission rate increased from 10.5 to 16.7%, primarily driven by Anorexia Nervosa (AN). In contrast to previous reports, we found no change in somatic and mental disorder comorbidity, age or sexratio for hospitalized youth with ED. However, we did observe a shortened length of hospital stay (LOS) for hospitalized youth with and without ED. In addition, non-ED admissions presented with an increased number of mental disorder comorbidities. In contrast to our hypothesis, school closures were not related to the observed increase in ED. Discussion: In summary, the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with an increased rate of inpatient treatment for youth suffering from AN, and of youth affected by multiple mental disorders. Accordingly, we assume that inpatient admission was prioritized for individuals with a higher burden of disease during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings pinpoint the need for adequate inpatient mental health treatment capacities during environmental crises, and a further strengthening of child and adolescence psychiatry services in Germany

Anorexia nervosa · Comorbidity · Disease · Eating disorders · Mental health · Pandemic · Psychiatry · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Eating Disorders and Behaviors · Medicine · Mental Health via Writing · Internal Medicine · Pediatrics

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