The Kids Are Not Ok: Emergency Department management of acute mental health crises in children and young people – A retrospective study
AIM
- Retrospective audit of medical records of children and young people below 18 years of age who presented to the ED with mental health concerns in 2018 (index presentation) and 1 year pre and post. The information will be used to describe, in different settings and types of EDs:
(a) current patterns and precipitants of ED mental health presentations;
(b) prevalence of co-morbid conditions;
(c) factors (including demographic, family and other social factors) associated with mental illness and suicidality; and
(d) the care provided within the ED and on follow-up.
Ethics
- Monash Health HREC approval has been granted for this multi-site project
- Approval has also been granted for the amendment to address the impact of COVID on ED mental health presentations.
- The covid arm REDCap survey is in testing phase currently.
Data entry status for the main study as @ 14.10.2021
- All sites required to enter 100 patient records or as many as they have available.
- So far, we have 970 complete entries.
- To date data entry has been completed by the following sites:
- VIC – Austin hospital, University hospital Geelong, Frankston Hospital, Royal Children’s Hospital
- QLD – Sunshine Coast University Hospital
- WA – Perth Children’s Hospital
- TAS – Royal Hobart hospital
- Data entry is currently progressing at the following sites:
- VIC – Monash Health
- WA – Albany Hospital
- NT – Royal Darwin hospital
- SA – Women’s and Children’s Hospital, North Adelaide
Primary outcome
- Patterns and precipitants of ED mental health presentations
- ED treatment (including sedation, restraint, etc)
- Disposition and clinical outcomes