Abstract
Introduction: Coronavirus pandemics has affected mental health services around the globe. A marked reduction in psychiatric admission and emergency visits were reported recently. With regards to outpatient services, there was an adoption of tele-psychiatry in mental health facilities in many countries. Objectives: To examine the impact of COVID-19 pandemics on the psychiatric outpatient visits in the largest Psychiatric Hospital in Abu Dhabi, UAE, during the month of April 2020. Methodology: A descriptive retrospective study of medical records of all patients attended the general adult psychiatry clinic in the month of April 2020. Results: 1,050 patients were included in the analysis. The sample consists of 55.9% males. The mean age was 40.7 years. The predominant ethnicity was Arab (88.3%). The most prevalent diagnosis was depressive disorder 32.7%. Only 1.6 % patients attended the clinic as new appointments. Tele-assessment was conducted in 64% (N=672) visits. 9.3 % reported to be in relapse during April. Patient with schizophrenia showed the lowest relapse rate 5.7%. Only 8.5% had taken PCR COVID test, with two patients tested positive. Conclusion: The great shift to tele-assessments and the service of medications home delivery were the main reason for maintaining the service in the psychiatric outpatient settings.
Highlights
Coronavirus pandemics has affected mental *Correspondence to Author: health services around the globe
The great shift to tele-assessments and the service of medications home delivery were the main reason for maintaining the service in the psychiatric outpatient settings
Stress related to the COVID-19 and the social distancing the governments have imposed to decrease community transmission of COVID-19 have worsened mental health in the general population. [2, 3, 4, 5] the COVID-19 negative impact is expected to be higher in people living with mental disorders, due to the vulnerability of those people to stress compared to the general population
Summary
To examine the impact of COVID-19 pandemics on How to cite this article: the psychiatric outpatient visits in the largest Psychiatric Hospital Aisha Al Dhufairi, Eman Al Houti, in Abu Dhabi, UAE, during the month of April 2020. Methodology: A descriptive retrospective study of medical re- aimi, Alya Al-Midfa, Amani Hassan. Cords of all patients attended the general adult psychiatry clinic The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic in the month of April 2020. In Psychiatric Outpatient Visits in Results: 1,050 patients were included in the analysis. The sam- Abu Dhabi – A Retrospective Study. The American Journal of Psychiatric predominant ethnicity was Arab (88.3%). 1.6 % patients attended the clinic as new appointments. Tele-assessment was conducted in 64% (N=672) visits. 9.3 % reported to be in relapse during April. Patient with schizophrenia showed the lowest relapse rate 5.7%.
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