Outpatient mental health care during high incidence phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany – changes in utilization, challenges and post-COVID care
Gespeichert in:
| Titel: | Outpatient mental health care during high incidence phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany – changes in utilization, challenges and post-COVID care |
|---|---|
| Autoren: | Mandy Fehr, Sabine Köhler, Christa Roth-Sackenheim, Katharina Geschke, Oliver Tüscher, Kristina Adorjan, Klaus Lieb, Lars P. Hölzel, Hauke F. Wiegand |
| Weitere Verfasser: | Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz |
| Quelle: | Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci |
| Verlagsinformationen: | Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2024. |
| Publikationsjahr: | 2024 |
| Schlagwörter: | Mental Health Services, Adult, Male, Original Paper, Mental Disorders, Incidence, 610 Medizin, COVID-19, Middle Aged, Mental health care, Surveys and Questionnaires [MeSH], Female [MeSH], Adult [MeSH], Humans [MeSH], Incidence [MeSH], Middle Aged [MeSH], Ambulatory Care/statistics, Mental Health Services/statistics, Germany/epidemiology [MeSH], Outpatient care, Post-COVID, Telemedicine, Male [MeSH], Mental Disorders/epidemiology [MeSH], Mental Disorders/therapy [MeSH], Outpatients/statistics, COVID-19/epidemiology [MeSH], Telemedicine/statistics, 150 Psychologie, 610 Medical sciences, Germany, Surveys and Questionnaires, Outpatients, Ambulatory Care, Humans, Female, 150 Psychology |
| Beschreibung: | Background As only a few studies have examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health outpatient system so far, the aim of the COVID Ψ Outpatient Survey was to gain insight from outpatient providers in Germany regarding changes in utilization; associated problems and challenges; telemedicine services; interactions with inpatient and nursing home services; and experiences with post-COVID syndromes. Methods Between July and September 2021, we invited 351 randomly selected outpatient mental health specialists to take part in the online survey via e-mail. Additionally, we extended an invitation to professional associations to encourage their members to participate. N = 105 physicians of most regions of Germany took part in the survey. Results Survey participants reported changes in utilization during the high incidence phases (HIP) of the pandemic using pre-formulated categories: For the first HIP in spring 2020, 31% of the survey participants reported a decrease > 20% and 5% an increase > 20% of patient contacts. For the third HIP in spring 2021, 4% reported a decrease > 20% of contacts, while 30% an increase > 20%. Participants chose “patient’s fears of infection” and “providers protection measures” as reasons for decreases, and “pandemic related anxieties”, “economic stressors”, and “capacity reductions of the inpatient system” as reasons for increases of patient contact. Many providers introduced telemedicine services. A majority reported consultations for post-COVID syndromes already in spring 2021. Conclusions The survey hinted at changes in utilization, multiple problems but as well good-practice-solutions in the mental health outpatient system during the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| Publikationsart: | Article Other literature type |
| Sprache: | English |
| ISSN: | 1433-8491 0940-1334 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s00406-024-01886-w |
| DOI: | 10.48620/8437 |
| DOI: | 10.25358/openscience-12385 |
| Zugangs-URL: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39218918 https://repository.publisso.de/resource/frl:6497266 |
| Rights: | CC BY |
| Dokumentencode: | edsair.doi.dedup.....bda6a3e4cdc0e4ca5052324d6560c3a2 |
| Datenbank: | OpenAIRE |
Full Text Finder 
Nájsť tento článok vo Web of Science | Abstract: | Background As only a few studies have examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health outpatient system so far, the aim of the COVID Ψ Outpatient Survey was to gain insight from outpatient providers in Germany regarding changes in utilization; associated problems and challenges; telemedicine services; interactions with inpatient and nursing home services; and experiences with post-COVID syndromes. Methods Between July and September 2021, we invited 351 randomly selected outpatient mental health specialists to take part in the online survey via e-mail. Additionally, we extended an invitation to professional associations to encourage their members to participate. N = 105 physicians of most regions of Germany took part in the survey. Results Survey participants reported changes in utilization during the high incidence phases (HIP) of the pandemic using pre-formulated categories: For the first HIP in spring 2020, 31% of the survey participants reported a decrease > 20% and 5% an increase > 20% of patient contacts. For the third HIP in spring 2021, 4% reported a decrease > 20% of contacts, while 30% an increase > 20%. Participants chose “patient’s fears of infection” and “providers protection measures” as reasons for decreases, and “pandemic related anxieties”, “economic stressors”, and “capacity reductions of the inpatient system” as reasons for increases of patient contact. Many providers introduced telemedicine services. A majority reported consultations for post-COVID syndromes already in spring 2021. Conclusions The survey hinted at changes in utilization, multiple problems but as well good-practice-solutions in the mental health outpatient system during the COVID-19 pandemic. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 14338491 09401334 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s00406-024-01886-w |