Obsessive-compulsive disorder in treatment seeking children & adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have investigated the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This study aims to investigate whether the pandemic is associated with increased referral of young people with OCD, any changes in their symptom severity and treatment offered. METHODS: Service data were used to investigate 58 young people (8-17 years) referred and assessed in the Central and Northwest London NHS Foundation Trust Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (months March-October 2018-2020). Changes in symptom severity were measured using the Health of the Nation Outcome Scale for Children and Adolescents (HoNOSCA). Patient records were reviewed to assess if COVID-19 had exacerbated symptoms. Type of treatment offered was compared. RESULTS: 26 (5.62%) assessments to CAMHS related to OCD in 2020, compared to 12 (1.30%) and 20 (2.27%) assessments pre-pandemic (2018 and 2019), showing a significant increase in the proportion of OCD cases (X2 (1, N = 58) = 20.3, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in any HoNOSCA dimensions on initial assessment. However, 69.2% of patients in 2020 showed symptom worsening over the COVID-period, versus 46.7% of cases first assessed pre-pandemic. Significantly more patients were discharged without being offered treatment pre-pandemic (X2 (2, N = 58) = 12.7, p = 0.002). In 2020, there was an 8.5% increase in the frequency of medication offered. DISCUSSION: The proportion of OCD cases in CAMHS increased in 2020 despite the overall number of CAMHS referrals falling. Furthermore, many cases reportedly worsened during the pandemic, and services will need to address the increased burden of more severe cases. Further larger investigation of this subject is warranted.

Life-threatening obsessive-compulsive disorder precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic in an adolescent.

The COVID-19 pandemic starting in 2020 has had massive mental health consequences worldwide. It has caused generalised fear and anxiety about catching, spreading and suffering from the virus. This article describes a fictionalised patient's presentation of life-threatening obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) associated with fears of catching COVID-19. The fears resulted in refusal to eat and drink, with subsequent weight loss that required paediatric admission. The scenario portrays the association between COVID-19 and life-threatening OCD symptoms and goes on to illustrate the patient's good response to standard OCD treatments.

Obsessive compulsive disorder in treatment seeking children & adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic

Aims Few studies have investigated the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on children and adolescents with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), who are thought to be particularly vulnerable. This study aims to investigate whether the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with increased referral of young people with OCD in one area of London and determine if COVID-19 has been associated with change in symptom severity and treatment offered in recent years. Method A retrospective study was conducted using clinical service data investigating 58 young people (8–17 years) referred and assessed in CNWL NHS Foundation Trust CAMHS, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 (months March–October 2018–2020). Changes in symptom severity were measured using the health of the nation outcome scale for children and adolescents (HoNOSCA). Total HoNOSCA and three HoNOSCA items were used;emotional symptoms, family relationships and school attendance. Patient clinical records were reviewed to assess if COVID-19 had exacerbated OCD symptoms. The type of treatment offered (cognitive behavioural therapy -CBT- only vs combined CBT and medication) was also compared. Analysis was carried out using Chi-square, Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U tests. Result 26 (5.62%) initial assessments to CAMHS were related to OCD in 2020, compared to 12 (1.30%) and 20 (2.27%) assessments pre-pandemic (2018 and 2019), showing a significant increase in the proportion of OCD cases (X2 (1, N = 58) = 20.3, p < .001). There was no significant difference in total HoNOSCA, emotional, family relationships, or school attendance scores on initial assessment. However, 69.2% of clinical records in 2020 showed symptom worsening over the COVID-period, compared to 30.8% of cases assessed pre-pandemic.There was a significant difference between the type of treatment offered before and during COVID-19 (X2 (2, N = 58) = 12.7, p = .002), with a higher proportion of patients who were referred to CAMHS for OCD but discharged without treatment before the pandemic (37.5% vs 0%). While CBT only remains the most frequent treatment offered, combined treatment was more frequent during the pandemic, although this difference was not significant. Conclusion The proportion of OCD-related initial assessments in CAMHS increased during the pandemic despite the overall number of referrals falling. Furthermore, fewer cases were discharged without treatment in CAMHS during this period. Given this, and that many were reported to have deteriorated during the pandemic, services will likely need to address the increased burden of more severe cases. Further research is warranted to assess the generalisability of our findings.

The COVID-19 pandemic and obsessive-compulsive disorder in young people: Systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the world since the first cases were reported in China in January 2020. The secondary mental health impacts of the pandemic are thought to be significant. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a condition defined by recurrent obsessions and compulsions. It has been hypothesised that the focus on hygiene and contamination during the pandemic could exacerbate obsessive-compulsive symptoms in young people. METHOD: A systematic literature review was conducted. Papers were sought looking at the effect of the pandemic on obsessive-compulsive disorder in young people. RESULTS: Six published cross-sectional and longitudinal studies were identified, of which four studies investigated clinic samples with a diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder and two looked at community adolescent populations. Five out of the six studies found that obsessive-compulsive symptoms were exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic appears to be associated with a worsening of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in young people. Being in treatment seems to have a protective effect. Maintaining mental health services during a pandemic is vital. It is important to be aware of the implications of pandemic on obsessive-compulsive symptoms in young people in order to allow them to access appropriate treatments. More research is needed in this area.