Related Experiment Videos
Pediatric Behavioral Health Emergencies Before, During, and After the COVID-19 Pandemic
Victoria Chi1, Hurnan Vongsachang2,3, Olga Saynina4
1Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA.
Pediatric Emergency Care
|June 30, 2026
Summary
Pediatric behavioral health (BH) emergency department (ED) visits increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Postpandemic, visits returned to prepandemic levels, but suicide-related visits remain elevated, indicating an ongoing BH crisis.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Emergency Medicine
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.
- Pediatric behavioral health (BH) conditions represent a growing concern in emergency medicine.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze trends in pediatric BH emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
- To identify demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with pediatric BH ED visits.
Main Methods:
- A repeated cross-sectional analysis of California ED visit data from September 2018 to December 2022.
- Inclusion of patients aged 6-17 presenting to the ED with a primary BH diagnosis.
- Logistic regression analysis to assess patient characteristics linked to BH visits.
Main Results:
- The pandemic period saw a relative increase in BH ED visits and admissions/transfers compared to prepandemic.
- Postpandemic BH ED visit rates normalized to prepandemic levels, with elevated suicide attempt/ideation diagnoses.
- Racial/ethnic minorities had fewer BH visits but higher admission rates; postpandemic, public insurance and distance from ED correlated with higher visit severity.
Conclusions:
- An ongoing pediatric BH crisis and persistent health disparities are evident postpandemic.
- There is a critical and ongoing need for enhanced and equitable access to pediatric BH care.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Operant Conditioning Intervention
Operant conditioning serves as a foundational principle in therapeutic interventions aimed at modifying maladaptive behaviors. Central to this approach is the notion that behaviors, both adaptive and maladaptive, are learned through reinforcement. By analyzing the environmental factors that reinforce problematic behaviors, clinicians can design interventions to weaken these reinforcements and replace maladaptive behaviors with healthier alternatives.
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-I
Specialized care settings or centers are situated in convenient locations within the community and offer care to a specific group or population. They consist of daycare facilities, mental health facilities, rural health facilities, educational institutions, industries, shelters for the homeless, and rehabilitation facilities.
Daycare centers
They provide several functions. Some facilities care for healthy newborns and children whose parents work, while others are medically focused and care for...
Daycare centers
They provide several functions. Some facilities care for healthy newborns and children whose parents work, while others are medically focused and care for...
01:22Behavior Therapy
Behavior therapy incorporates diverse techniques rooted in classical conditioning principles to address maladaptive behaviors and anxiety disorders. These methods aim to reduce avoidance behaviors, foster adaptive coping mechanisms, and alter associations between stimuli and responses, making them effective in a wide range of therapeutic contexts.
Exposure therapy is a cornerstone of behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders. It involves systematic exposure to feared stimuli, either in real...
Exposure therapy is a cornerstone of behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders. It involves systematic exposure to feared stimuli, either in real...
01:26Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion
In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
01:26Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios
Pharmaceutical poisoning can occur through various channels, impacting an estimated 2 million hospitalized patients in the U.S. annually with serious adverse drug responses. These scenarios encompass both therapeutic uses, such as drug toxicity, where even standard dosages can lead to severe central nervous system depression, and non-therapeutic exposures, including accidental ingestion by children, and environmental and occupational exposures.Unintentional poisonings often involve exploratory...
01:23Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption
Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...