HSE Briefing Statement – Children

Health Service Executive 2021a

• A HSE briefing statement from 05/01/2021 highlighted the impact of the pandemic on children, including increased presentations of anxiety and anorexia nervosa.

Sources: Barrett & Richardson 2021; Busher & Richardson 2020; Kelleher 2021; Doyle 2021; Connolly 2021; Delaney 2021; Fogarty 2021; Holliman 2021

Location/Service	Impact
Hospitalisations	Increased hospitalisations for eating disorders, up by 66% compared to 2019. During the period March-September 2020, 40% of admissions were males, notably higher than any previous year. Children who required hospitalisation were more unwell and more medically compromised. Paediatric hospitals and acute hospitals have also reported increased acute presentations.
Child & Adolescent Regional Eating Disorder Service (CAREDS), Cork/Kerry	Two to three times instances of young people needing help since the pandemic began. As with other examples, hospitalisation was required because people were more unwell.
Crumlin, Temple Street, Tallaght, CAMHS	In Crumlin’s Children Hospital, both community and hospital presentations for eating disorders increased during 2020, by three to four times, compared to 2019. More acute presentations also featured, along with increases, across Temple Street Hospital, Tallaght University Hospital and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
Sligo/Leitrim Mental Health Services	A 40% increase in eating disorder referrals amongst children and adolescents since March 2020.
Galway region	HSE West reported increased hospital admissions for eating disorders in the Galway region, rising from two to nine cases, after February 2020.

Source: Bermingham 2021

Impact

Relapses and new presentations Adult referrals have increased significantly in 2020, notably in the 18-to-24 age group. Higher instances of binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa Increased referrals for males reported

Health Service Executive 2021b

NCP-ED 2020 Outcomes

A 60% rise in referrals A 43% increase in assessments completed Twice as many people started treatment

Source

Survey of 180 psychiatrists

The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland’s survey of 180 psychiatrists (members of the College) examining the impact of Covid-19 on mental health in the seven-month period from June 2020 to the end of December 2020. 38% (53) reported increased referrals or relapses in eating disorders

Key points compared to 2019:

2020 Admissions – Psychiatric units and hospitals

Information published by the Health Research Board (HRB) in July 2021:

Adults

Gender and all and first admissions. Primary admission diagnosis and gender. Ireland 2020.

		Numbers
All	First
Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total
23	159	182	10	65	75

Age group

Numbers
Under 18	18-19	20-24	25-34	35-44	45-54	55-64	65-74	75 & over	Unspecified	Total
0	35	64	37	27	13	6	0	0	0	182

Discharges (including deaths) and in-patient days by diagnosis for all lengths of stay. Ireland 2020. Numbers with percentages

Discharges		In-patient days
Numbers	Percentages	Numbers	Percentages	Average number of days	Median number of days
182	1.16	7,696	0.90	42.3	28.5

Hospital type – all admissions. Primary admissions diagnosis

Numbers
General hospital psychiatric units	Psychiatric hospitals/continuing care units	Independent/private and private charitable centres	Total
~	..	145	182

Children and adolescents

Gender and all and first admissions. Primary admissions diagnosis and gender. Ireland 2020.

Numbers
All	First
Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total
..	~	87	..	~	59

 

Admissions – legal status and primary admission diagnosis
		Numbers
	All			First
Voluntary	Involuntary	Total	Voluntary	Involuntary	Total
62	25	87	~	..	59

References

Barrett, E. & Richardson, S. (2021) Invited Editorial: Eating Disorders During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ireland, Irish Medical Journal, 114(1), 233.

Bermingham, D. (2021) Big surge in eating disorder referrals during Covid-19 lockdown. Irish Examiner. Retrieved from https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40223948.html

Busher & Richardson, S. (2020) The Impact of Covid-19 on presentations of anorexia nervosa. The Temple Street Experience. Oral Presentation, Irish Paediatric Association Annual Conference.

Connolly, E. (2021) Major surge in teen eating disorders during pandemic. Southern Star, p.6.

Delaney, M. (2021) People with eating disorders presenting more unwell since pandemic. TheJournal.ie. Retrieved from https://www.thejournal.ie/eating-disorders-ireland-unwell-pandemic-5353079-Feb2021/

Doyle, L. (2021) Eating disorders up by forty per cent. Donegal News, p.10.

Fogarty, J. (2021) Lockdown exacerbating eating disorders, health forum told. Roscommon Herald, p.22.

Health Service Executive (2021a) Briefing Statement. The Current Situation of Children 5^th January 2021: Health, Education, and Covid-19. Dublin: Health Service Executive.

Health Service Executive (2021b) National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders. Our Growth in 2020. Dublin: Health Service Executive.

Holliman, S. (2021) Admissions for eating disorders quadruple in Galway during pandemic. Tuam Herald, p.4.

Kelleher, L. (2021) Children with eating disorders more than triple during lockdown. Irish Mail on Sunday, p.4.