Original ArticleDisparities in Psychiatric Emergency Department Visits among Youth in Hawai'i, 2000-2010
Section snippets
Methods
The Hawai'i Health Information Corporation (HHIC), a private, not-for-profit entity, was established in 1994 to collect, analyze, and disseminate statewide health information to improve the quality and cost efficiency of healthcare services provided to the people of Hawai'i. Organizations may apply to access specific datasets collected by the HHIC and, for a fee, may be allowed access to such information as demographic data, average length of stay, insurance, International Classification of
Results
Analyses included descriptive statistics, χ2 tests, and correlations. A total of 15 869 mental health–related emergency department visits by individuals aged ≤17 years were recorded between 2000 and 2010. The annual average rate during this period was 49.7 visits per 10 000 youth. Emergency department visits for mental health accounted for 2.1% of all emergency department visits by youth. Analysis of the distribution and annual rates of emergency department visits for mental health by youth
Discussion
We found a high rate of emergency department use for mental health treatment among Hawaiian youth, with significantly higher rates in adolescents. A recent study found that although the overall prevalence of mental disorders in US adolescents with severe impairment or distress exceeds 20%, only approximately 36% of adolescents with a mental disorder receive treatment.13 For many adolescents, the emergency room may be the primary, or only, source of health care.14 Given the low utilization of
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Visits to an emergency department by children and adolescents with substance-related disorders and the perceptions of nursing professionals
2018, Children and Youth Services ReviewCitation Excerpt :This study found around 174 visits to the ED by children and adolescents with substance-related disorders, which is 45% of the total 381 visits related to mental health problems by this population. This proportion is high compared to a previous study undertaken in Hawaii (Matsu et al., 2013), which showed that about 28% of visits by youth with mental health problems to an ED were related to substance-related disorders. These results may reflect differences related to the specificities of the health systems of these countries.
The Hawai‘i Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Resources for Primary Care: An Evidence-Informed Tool to Improve Quality of Care
2020, Hawaii Journal of Health and Social WelfareMental health disparities, mechanisms, and intervention strategies: Perspective from Hawai'i
2019, Current Opinion in PsychiatryAge Affects the Impact of Important Predictors on Mental Health Emergency Department Visits
2019, Journal of Behavioral Health Services and ResearchRural Mental Health: Technology, Collective Intelligence, and Community Soul
2017, Academic Psychiatry
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.