Dramatic reduction of psychiatric emergency consultations during lockdown linked to COVID ‐19 in Paris and suburbs
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Abstract
ABSTRACT Aims The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown may have psychiatric consequences and increase the number of psychiatric emergency consultations. This study aimed to compare the number and characteristics of emergency psychiatric consultations during the four first weeks of the lockdown in three psychiatric emergency services from Paris and its suburbs, and to compare them to the same period in 2019. Methods Three psychiatric centers in Paris and its suburbs took part in the study. We compared the number of total psychiatric emergency consultations during the 4 first weeks of the lockdown in France to the corresponding 4 weeks in 2019. We also compared the number of consultations during these 4-week time periods in 2020 and 2019 across different diagnostic categories. Results In the 4 first weeks of the lockdown in France, 553 emergency psychiatry consultations were carried out, compared to 1224 consultations during the corresponding period of 2019, representing a 54.8 % decrease. This decrease was evident across all psychiatric disorders, including anxiety (number of consultations in 2020 representing 36.1 % of 2019), mood (41.1 %), and psychotic disorders (57.3 %). The number of suicide attempts also decreased (number of suicide attempts in 2020 representing 42.6 % of 2019). In comparison to 2019, the proportion of total consultations for anxiety disorders also decreased (16.6 % vs. 20.8 %), whilst the proportion of total consultations increased for psychotic disorders (31.1 % vs. 24.1 %). Conclusions The total number of psychiatric emergency consultations during lockdown dramatically decreased. The psychological consequences of lockdown may be delayed, indicating that psychiatric services should be prepared for a secondary increase in emergency presentations.
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Pignon et al. reported a 54.8% decrease in overall psychiatric emergency consultations and a 42.6% decrease in self-harm/suicide attempts during the first 4 weeks of the lockdown in France compared with the same period in 2019.
“Pignon et al. (2020) reported a 54.8% decrease in overall psychiatric emergency consultations and a 42.6% decrease in self-harm/suicide attempts during the first 4 weeks of the lockdown in France compared with the same period in 2019.”
From The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on self-harm and suicidal behaviour: a living systematic review (2020) · cites this paper as Pignon et al. (2020)
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- Authors
- Pignon, B., Gourevitch, R., Tebeka, S., Dubertret, C., Cardot, H., Dauriac‐Le Masson, V., Trebalag, A., Barruel, D., Yon, L., Hemery, F., Loric, M., Rabu, C., Pelissolo, A., Leboyer, M., Schürhoff, F., & Pham‐Scottez, A.
- Affiliations
- Inserm (FR)
- CPOA, Sainte‐Anne Hospital Paris Psychiatry & Neurosciences University Hospital Paris France
- Hôpital Louis-Mourier (FR)
- Department of Medical Information Paris Psychiatry & Neurosciences University Hospital Paris France
- GHU Paris psychiatrie & neurosciences (FR)
- AP‐HP, Department of Medical Information Mondor University Hospital Créteil France
- Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris (FR)
- AP‐HP, Department of Psychiatry and Addictology Mondor University Hospital, DMU IMPACT Créteil France
- Corresponding author
- Pignon, Baptiste
- ORCID
- Venue
- Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2020-08-02
- Volume
- 74
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 557-559
- ISSN
- 1323-1316 (ISSN-L)
- 1440-1819
- PMC
- PMC7361336
- OpenAlex
- W3039116168
- Cited by
- 134
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 42 · 2020: 10
- FWCI
- 11.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences (publishedVersion)
- medRxiv (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nd)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › COVID-19 and healthcare impacts
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychiatric care and mental health services
- Keywords
- COVID-19 lockdown, emergency department visits, mental health services
- MeSH terms
- Involuntary Treatment, Psychiatric, COVID-19, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Anxiety Disorders, Emergency Services, Psychiatric, Female, France, Hospitalization, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Paris, Psychiatry, Psychotic Disorders, Referral and Consultation, Suburban Population, Suicide, Attempted, Urban Population, Mood Disorders, Young Adult
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