The effects of the first COVID-19 lockdown on psychiatric emergencies in childhood

Due to novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), on March 8, 2020, the first lockdown began in Italy. Two months of lockdown involved all country regions until 4 May 2020, when "phase 2" began. During this period, only urgent and emergency conditions could accede to hospital for inpatient treatments, also for developmental psychiatric conditions. Here we report the experience of UOSD od Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry od University Federico II of Naples, about hospitalizations carried out during the first lockdown due to Covid-19. The main situations that required urgent treatment, the main reasons that led caregivers to contact the hospital and issues concerning admission during the lockdown are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Italian) A causa della nuova malattia da coronavirus (COVID-19), l'8 marzo 2020 e iniziato in Italia il primo lockdown, che si e prolungato fino al 4 maggio 2020, quando e iniziata la "fase 2". Durante questo periodo, solo le condizioni urgenti e di emergenza hanno potuto accedere all'ospedale per i trattamenti sanitari, e questo anche per quanto riguarda le condizioni psichiatriche dell'eta evolutiva. Il lavoro riporta l'e- sperienza della UOSD Neuropsichiatria Infantile dell'Universita Federico II di Napoli sui ricoveri effettuati durante il primo lockdown dovuto a COVID-19. Vengono discusse le situazioni piu significative, ovvero quelle che hanno richiesto delle cure urgenti, i principali motivi che hanno portato i caregiver a contattare l'ospedale e le questioni relative al ricovero durante il lockdown. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Health Literacy and COVID-19 preventive behaviours in during the Lock-Down Phase in Tuscany (Italy)

In the first COVID-19 pandemic period, when no vaccines were available, individual behaviours were essential for controlling the spread of the virus. In this context of rapidly changing guidance, emerging new evidence, fake news and misinformation, there have been new challenges for health literacy (HL). This study explored whether guidance-compliant healthy behaviours were associated with HL in individuals who have performed essential activities (public employees and volunteers of the Civil Protection) during the lock-down period in the Province of Prato, Italy. Items on knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) towards COVID-19 preventive measures and COVID-19 risk perception, along with the Italian version of the 6-items European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q6), were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire. In May 2020, 751 responses were collected;respondents were mostly males (59%), younger than 65 years old (83.5%), with sufficient HL (56%), and never smokers (54.2%). Most of the items related to the KAP towards COVID-19 preventive measures were significantly correlated with the HLS-EU-Q6 score in the total sample. In the multiple linear model, HL results to be a predictor of both a better self-reported knowledge of COVID-19 preventive measures (beta 0.32 for sufficient HL, 0.11 for problematic HL, 1.00 for inadequate HL) and a higher score of attitude towards the importance of COVID-19 preventive measures (beta 0.33 for sufficient HL, 0.17 for problematic HL, 1.00 for inadequate HL), while it has no role in predicting a higher risk perception. These findings can be useful to understand the importance of HL in promoting guidance-compliant healthy behaviours and in helping people to understand the rapidly changing public health messages and then act accordingly. Key messages Lower levels of Health Literacy predict poor COVID-19 related knowledge and a worse attitudes towards the importance of COVID-19 preventive measures. Health Literacy may be an important factor in promoting guidance-compliant healthy behaviours and in helping people to understand the rapidly changing public health messages and then act accordingly.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on psychiatric clinical practice in developmental age: Report on the hospital experience in Campania Region

The health emergency caused by the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19), resulted also in a reorganization of hospital services in Italy. In particular, starting from the beginning of the lockdown period, on 8 March 2020, the closure of outpatient services has been ordered, for all visits considered non-urgent. This implied the need of a reorganization of hospital services and gave the spread to visits via Telemedicine. This reorganization also involved the Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry (NPI) services. The report presents the data of the hospital experience of the NPI unit of the AOU Federico II-in Campania. Patients who needed remote visits were mostly adolescents suffering from psychiatric disorders, in drug treatment, expecially neurodevelopment disorders (autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit and/or hyperactivity disorder), schizophrenic spectrum disorders, eating disorders and mood disorders. In almost 20% of cases, tele-consultation was required for a clinical behavioral worsening and resulted in a change of medication. In our experience, Telemedicine is a valid tool to guarantee and sometimes facilitate continuity of care in extraordinary conditions but it should also be taken into consideration in ordinary conditions. However, it may be difficult to apply to disadvantaged people and might have management limits for conditions that require also monitoring of vital and auxological parameters. We believe that training of medical and paramedical staff responsible for managing remote visits is necessary, to ensure the right assistance to users, especially in the developmental age. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved) Abstract (Italian) Lo stato di emergenza sanitaria da nuova infezione da coronavirus (COVid-19), ha comportato, tra le altre cose, una riorganizzazione dei servizi ospedalieri in Italia. In particolare, a partire dall'inizio del periodo di lockdown, ovvero dall'8 Marzo 2020, e stata disposta la chiusura dei servizi ambulatoriali presso i presidi sanitari, per tutte le prestazioni considerate non urgenti. Questo ha implicato la necessita di una riorganizzazione dei servizi assistenziali e dato l'avvio alla diffusione di visite da remoto, mediante Telemedicina. Tale riorganizzazione ha interessato anche i servizi di Neuropsichiatria Infantile (NPI). Il report presenta i dati dell'esperienza ospedaliera dell'unita di NPI della AOU Federico II in Campania. I pazienti che hanno necessitato di controlli clinici a distanza, sono stati per la maggior parte adolescenti affetti da patologia psichiatrica in trattamento farmacologico, perlopiu affetti da disturbi del neurosviluppo (disturbo dello spettro autistico e deficit di attenzione e/o iperattivita), disturbi dello spettro schizofrenico, disturbi dell'alimentazione e disturbi dell'umore. In quasi il 20% dei casi, il teleconsulto e stato richiesto per un peggioramento clinico-comportamentale ed ha comportato una modifica della terapia farmacologica. La Telemedicina rappresenta nella nostra esperienza un valido strumento per garantire e talora facilitare continuita assistenziale in condizioni straordinarie ma dovrebbe essere presa in considerazione anche per il prosieguo delle cure in condizioni ordinarie. Tuttavia, va tenuto conto che rappresenta una modalita poco fruibile per utenti svantaggiati sul piano socio-culturale e presenta limiti gestionali per condizioni che necessitano anche di un monitoraggio di parametri vitali ed auxologici. Riteniamo che sia necessaria una formazione del personale medico e paramedico deputato alla gestione delle visite da remoto, per garantire la giusta assistenza all'utenza, soprattutto in eta evolutiva. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)