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COVID-19-related prescribing challenge in intellectual disability
Bushra Rauf1, Hafsa Sheikh1, Hassan Majid1
1Intellectual Disability Psychiatry, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, UK.
Bjpsych Open
|March 19, 2021
Summary
COVID-19 restrictions increased mental health consultations and medication for individuals with intellectual disability and/or autism spectrum disorder. Multidisciplinary team involvement also rose to manage these behavioral and mental health needs.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Public Health
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions significantly impact population mental health.
- Individuals with intellectual disability (ID) and/or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are particularly vulnerable due to biological and psychosocial factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the association between COVID-19 restrictions and changes in psychiatric consultations.
- To evaluate the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on psychotropic medication prescriptions in individuals with ID and/or ASD.
- To analyze these changes within a community intellectual disability service.
Main Methods:
- A quantitative observational study utilizing retrospective and prospective data collection before and during lockdown.
- Data on total consultations, medication interventions, and multidisciplinary team input were collected.
- Analysis was conducted separately for child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and adult intellectual disability teams.
Main Results:
- Total consultations in the community ID service increased by 19 per week during lockdown.
- Medication interventions rose by two per week.
- Multidisciplinary team input increased significantly in both CAMHS and adult ID teams, with hypnotics and benzodiazepines being the most prescribed psychotropic medications.
Conclusions:
- COVID-19-related lockdown led to increased psychiatric consultations and medication interventions for individuals with ID and/or ASD.
- There was a notable rise in multidisciplinary team involvement to address mental health and behavioral issues.
- These findings highlight the heightened mental health needs of this population during restrictive periods.
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