Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry During COVID-19 Lockdown: A Retrospective Chart Review.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a major psychosocial impact in the community due to its direct effects and restrictive control strategies, e.g. lockdown. The current pandemic, a highly stressful situation, can predispose not only vulnerable but previously well-adjusted individuals for psychological disorders. A retrospective chart review of consultation-liaison psychiatry (CLP) case records was conducted for one month before and after the start of lockdown. Patients seen during lockdown were relatively younger; t = 1.8, p = 0.074. The most common psychiatric emergency was a suicidal attempt (34.3%) and delirium (35.4%) during and before lockdown, respectively. The probability of the emergency psychiatry presentation for attempted suicide increased significantly during lockdown (odds ratio (OR) 8.0, 95% CI 2.03 to 31.57, p = 0.003). The most common stressors for CLP patients with suicide attempts during lockdown were relationship issues and loss of privacy. It seems that stressors arising due to the current crisis are not only highly severe and multiple but qualitatively different. Further studies with larger sample sizes and from other parts of the country can further improve our understating of the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the affected community. Needless to say, higher vigilance in the community for at-risk individuals, availability, and awareness about telemedicine services can play an important role to combat the risk of suicide during the lockdown.

Primary care physician's approach for mental health impact of COVID-19.

As the world struggles to control coronavirus infection with the exhausting capacity of health care systems globally, the role of primary care physician and family physician becomes more important as the first point of contact with the community. Limited availability of mental health services in India requires general practitioners to deal with psychological disorders arising due to infection outbreak and its restrictive control strategies. This article discusses what and how primary physicians can manage the psychological burden of a pandemic, and therefore, reducing the reliance on mental health specialist.