Artikel
Outpatient mental health care during the COVID-19-pandemic in Germany – results from the COVID Ψ outpatient survey
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Autoren
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Hauke Felix Wiegand
- Universitätsmedizin der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Mainz, Deutschland
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Mandy Fehr
- Universitätsmedizin der Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Mainz, Deutschland
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Lars. P. Hölzel
- Oberberg Parkklinik Wiesbaden Schlangenbad, Schlangenbad, Deutschland
| Veröffentlicht: | 2. Oktober 2023 |
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Gliederung
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Background and state of research: The COVID-19 pandemic went along with significant challenges and with shifts in utilization in most sectors of the health care system. So far, no studies had examined the situation of the outpatient mental healthcare system in Germany.
Research question and objectives, hypothesis: The COVID Ψ Outpatient Survey aimed at exploring changes in utilization; associated problems, challenges and contributing factors; telemedicine services; interactions with inpatient mental health and nursing home services; and experiences with post-COVID syndromes.
Method: N=105 outpatient mental health specialists of all regions of Germany took part in the online survey. It consisted of a combination of pre-formulated and free text responses. Free text responses were analyzed following principles of qualitative content analyses.
Results: For the first high incidence phase (HIP) of the pandemic in spring 2020 31% of the survey participants reported a decrease >20% and 5% an increase >20% of contacts. For the third HIP in spring 2021 4% reported a decrease >20% in the number of contacts, while 30% indicated an increase >20%. Often suggested reasons for initial decreases were patients fears of infection and providers protection measures, and for later increases pandemic and lockdown-related anxieties and economic stressors, and capacity reductions of the inpatient system. The participants related the initial capacity reductions of both inpatient and outpatient system to multiple complications. Telemedicine offerings were introduced by many providers and already in summer 2021 a majority reported consultations for post-COVID-syndromes.
Discussion: The survey hints at changes in utilization, multiple problems but as well good-practice-solutions in the mental health outpatient system during the pandemic.
Implication for care: For future crises a better surveillance and a better coordination between inpatient and outpatient sector is recommended.
Funding: Other funding; BMBF NUM EgePAN und PREPARED 01KX2021
