Mental health and substance use-related emergency department visits showed distinct patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada compared to pre-pandemic trends.
Emergency medicine physicians, public health officials, behavioral health administrators, and pandemic preparedness planners.
Pandemic shiftMental health and substance use ED visits showed distinct COVID-19 pandemic patterns vs pre-pandemic trends
What the researchers found
COVID-19 pandemic impacts on mental health and substance use-related ED visits in Nevada revealed complex patterns, with some conditions increasing and others decreasing, reflecting the pandemics multifaceted effects on behavioral health.
Why it matters
Understanding how the pandemic affected behavioral health ED utilization helps health systems prepare for future disruptions and address ongoing mental health and substance use impacts.
The numbers in context
The study examined ED visits for mental health conditions and substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada, USA, compared to pre-pandemic trends.
How the study worked
Retrospective analysis of emergency department visit data comparing mental health and substance use presentations before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada.
Who was studied
Emergency department patients with mental health conditions or substance use presentations in Nevada before and during COVID-19.
What this study cannot tell us
Single-state data may not represent national trends; ED visit changes may reflect avoidance of healthcare rather than true prevalence changes; pandemic affected data collection and coding.
How to read the evidence
Retrospective ED data analysis; provides descriptive evidence of utilization changes.
When this study was published
Recent analysis capturing COVID-19 pandemic effects on behavioral health services.
The bigger picture
The pandemic exposed and exacerbated vulnerabilities in behavioral health systems, and understanding these patterns informs both pandemic preparedness and ongoing mental health infrastructure needs.
Replication
Nevada-specific data; consistent with national trends showing pandemic behavioral health impacts.
Funding
Not specified
Conflicts of interest
Not specified
Questions still open
- Did substance use ED visits recover to pre-pandemic levels?
- Were cannabis-related ED visits specifically affected?
- How did telehealth affect behavioral health ED utilization?
Read the original research
Mental Health Conditions- and Substance Use-Associated Emergency Department Visits during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nevada, USA.
International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(5)
Citation
Mojtahedi, Zahra; Guo, Ying; Kim, Pearl; Khawari, Parsa; Ephrem, Hailey; Shen, Jay J. (2023). Mental Health Conditions- and Substance Use-Associated Emergency Department Visits during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Nevada, USA.. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054389