Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42902195›Full record

SynthesisBMC emergency medicine2026

Mental health-related presentations to Australian hospital emergency departments by children and young people, before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Jackson Newberry-Dupé, Simon Craig, Glenn Melvin, Kylie King, Yuxi Li, Alexander Campbell, Tom Shore, Timothy Curtis, Rohan Borschmann

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC emergency medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

9 authors.

Jackson Newberry-DupéMelbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia. jackson.newberry-dupe@monash.edu.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7933-2133
Simon CraigDepartment of Paediatrics, School of Clinical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
Glenn MelvinSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia.
Kylie KingSchool of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
Yuxi LiMelbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Alexander CampbellMelbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Tom ShoreMelbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Timothy CurtisPort Macquarie Base Hospital, Mid North Coast Health, Port Macquarie, NSW, Australia.
Rohan BorschmannCentre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.

Funding

Medical Research Future Fund GNT1179137
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionCOVID-19 pandemic-related 'lockdowns' (i.e., measures to restrict movements) used to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus may have impacted how children and young people (CYP) utilised mental health services. The aim of this review was to synthesise research on COVID-19-related changes in mental health-related emergency department (ED) presentations by CYP in Australia, with reference to lockdown stringency. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We searched five databases for observational studies published after 31/12/2019 examining ED mental health-related presentations by CYP (aged 0-24 years) before and after onset of COVID-19 lockdowns. Studies were stratified by location and the relative restriction stringency, obtained via the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker. Region level variation was described, with pooled effects calculated using random effects models.

resultsThirteen studies were included; five from New South Wales, four from Victoria (where lockdowns were most stringent), three from Queensland, and one including multiple Australian states. Outcome definitions and exposure periods were heterogeneous. Pooled estimates showed a moderate-to-large increase in monthly rates of eating disorder presentations, slight-to-moderate increases in overall mental health-related presentations and self-harm and suicide-related presentations, and inconclusive evidence for changes in substance-related and addictive disorder and behavioural/neurodevelopmental disorder-related presentations. Heterogeneity of pooled effects was extremely high (I

conclusionsCYP ED presentations for eating disorders appear to have increased over the pandemic period, though certainty of evidence was very low. Findings for overall mental health-related presentations and other disorder groups were mixed, with presentations appearing to be lower in Queensland than other states. Future research should prioritise high quality interrupted-time-series analyses of linked and standardised administrative data to better examine the association between specific pandemic policy measures and CYP mental health-related ED utilisation, whilst controlling for potential confounders. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: This review has been registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022342496).

Indexed as

COVID-19Emergency Service, HospitalMental DisordersAdolescentAustraliaChildChild, PreschoolHumansPandemicsYoung AdultCOVID-19Emergency departmentMental healthPaediatricPsychiatrySelf-injuryYoung people

Identifiers

PMID42902195
PMCPMC13685287

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Registered trials

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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.