Transitions in mental health care utilisation at GHU Paris between 2019 and 2024: A post-pandemic perspective

This study aimed to analyse the long-term evolution of mental health services use following the COVID-19 pandemic.

This was a retrospective study, conducted from 2019 to 2024, using the Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire Paris Psychiatry and Neurosciences (GHU Paris) databases.

We considered the number of patients consulting at GHU Paris clinics, number of patients presenting at the emergency department (ED), and number of hospital admissions per week, by sex and age group. We performed a piecewise linear regression, using a threshold approach to identify time patterns between 2019 and 2024: pre-pandemic period (T1), short-term (T2) and long-term post-pandemic period (T3). Temporal changes in mental healthcare service use were then analysed.

No significant overall changes were observed in the number of outpatients after the COVID-19 pandemic, except for a slight increase among patients aged 15-24 years. The number of hospital admissions remained lower in 2024 compared with 2019, with a decreasing trend in T3 for all subgroups. In contrast, the number of ED visits increased over time, with higher use of emergency services by women and young people in 2024 compared with 2019. The overall long-term trend (T3) continued to show an increasing pattern. Additionally, a reduction in schizophrenia presentations was observed, while there was an overall increase in patients with substance use or neurotic disorders.

Our results described transitions in mental health service use at GHU Paris between 2019 and 2024, highlighting reduced hospital admissions, increased psychiatric emergencies, and changes in the reasons for seeking care.