Use of Acute Mental Health Care in U.S. Children’s Hospitals Before and After Statewide COVID-19 School Closure Orders

• DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.202100582
• Publication Date: 2022-05-25T07:05:15Z
• Authors: Bonnie T. Zima; Juliet Beni Edgcomb; Jonathan Rodean; Susan D. Cochran; Christopher A. Harle; Jyotishman Pathak; Chi-hong Tseng; Regina Bussing
• Keywords: 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak; Closure (psychology); Depression; Acute care

After statewide COVID-19–related school closures in 2020, suicide or self-injury and depressive disorders were the primary drivers of acute mental health encounters a sample 44 U.S. children’s hospitals. In fall hospitalizations for rose by 41.7%, compared with 2019.