OBJECTIVE: The current coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19 disease) poses major challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. The aim of this work was to identify the impact on psychiatric emergency presentations in an ED during the implemented lockdown.
METHODS: A retrospective survey of all psychiatric emergency presentations in the ED during the lockdown was conducted. The same period in 2019 served as the reference year.
RESULTS: There was a decrease in psychiatric patients. Changes were observed in the age and diagnoses.
CONCLUSION: Some clear effects of the lockdown on psychiatric emergencies in an ED setting can be described. However, the changes were smaller than in other countries with other health care systems.
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