AHRQ-Funded Studies Examine Emergency Department Visits for Children With Mental and Behavioral Conditions

AHRQ-Funded Studies Examine Emergency Department Visits for Children With Mental and Behavioral Conditions https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40986492/ Two AHRQ-funded studies offer insight into the experience of children with mental and behavioral health (MBH) conditions in the emergency department (ED). One article, published in the Journal of Patient Safety, found based on interviews with 55 staff members from 4 ED departments that self-harm, harm to others, and elopement were critical safety concerns for pediatric MBH patients. The ED environment was seen as a trigger for patient agitation, exacerbating MBH conditions. A second study, published in BMC Health Services Research, explored how often children at risk for MBH conditions visit hospital EDs. The study analyzed data from the 2019 National Health Interview Survey and found that children at higher risk for MBH conditions were more likely to visit the ED. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40317051/