Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39844080›Full record

ArticleBMC psychiatry2025

Patterns of psychiatric healthcare use during pandemic times among boys and girls with pre-existing diagnoses: a Norwegian nationwide primary and specialist healthcare registry study.

Ingunn Olea Lund, Pia Jensen, Christian Madsen, Lars Johan Hauge, Alexandra Havdahl, Anne Reneflot, Ragnhild Brandlistuen, Helga Ask

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Ingunn Olea LundPsychGen Center for Genetic Epidemiology and Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, Oslo, 0213, Norway. iolu@fhi.no.
Pia Jensen *PsychGen Center for Genetic Epidemiology and Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, Oslo, 0213, Norway.
Christian Madsen *Centre for Disease Burden, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Bergen, Norway.
Lars Johan HaugeDepartment of Mental Health and Suicide, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
Alexandra HavdahlPsychGen Center for Genetic Epidemiology and Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, Oslo, 0213, Norway.
Anne ReneflotDepartment of Mental Health and Suicide, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
Ragnhild BrandlistuenDepartment of Child Health and Development, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
Helga AskPsychGen Center for Genetic Epidemiology and Mental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, PO Box 222, Skøyen, Oslo, 0213, Norway.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic introduced complexities that were likely more demanding for some groups, such as children and adolescents, and especially those with pre-existing mental health diagnoses. This study examines long-term patterns of psychiatric healthcare use among this vulnerable group, providing insights into shifts in psychiatric healthcare use during a global health crisis.

methodsWe use data from the primary and specialist healthcare registries available from the Norwegian emergency preparedness register for COVID-19 (Beredt C19) to estimate patterns of psychiatric healthcare use. The data spans 2017 to 2022, covering children and adolescents aged 6-19. We identified young people with recent diagnoses of mental health conditions and compared weekly consultation volumes before and during the pandemic for mental health conditions overall and the following diagnostic or symptom categories separately: anxiety/depression and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD). Analyses were stratified by gender.

resultsThere was a consistent trend of lower-than-predicted weekly healthcare consultations among young people with pre-existing mental health diagnoses in both primary and specialist healthcare during the pandemic. The reduction was more pronounced in later follow-up periods. The study highlights gender disparities, with boys experiencing more notable declines in healthcare consultations, especially in specialist care. Additionally, the time trends varied across different diagnostic groups. While consultations for anxiety/depression were consistently below the predicted levels, declines in ADHD occurred later in the pandemic. The data suggests an overall decline in healthcare use rather than a shift between sectors.

conclusionThe findings offer insights into healthcare use during pandemic times among children and adolescents with pre-existing mental health diagnoses. The study underscores the importance of continuous monitoring and support for this group, ensuring accessible and responsive healthcare during public health emergencies.

Indexed as

COVID-19Mental DisordersMental Health ServicesPatient Acceptance of Health CarePrimary Health CareAdolescentAttention Deficit Disorder with HyperactivityChildFemaleHumansMaleNorwayPandemicsRegistriesSARS-CoV-2Sex FactorsAdolescentsChildrenCOVID-19Health registryMental disordersPrimary health careSpecialist health careTime trends

Identifiers

PMID39844080
PMCPMC11756222

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.