Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health Service Utilization in Children and Adolescents

Mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic may be vast and may potentially overwhelm the mental health system in a long-lasting manner. Evaluating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in vulnerable groups such as children and adolescents has become an immediate priority. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on use of mental health resources namely 1) prescriptions of psychotropic medications and 2) mental health-related outpatient visits, hospitalizations and emergency department visits in children and adolescents in France. Secondary aim is to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on episodes of fatal and non-fatal self-harm episodes in the same population. This will be a population-based cohort study using data from healthcare claims, administrative medical and outpatient drug dispensation databases in France between January 1, 2016 and June 1, 2021. Findings will inform on the risk of upcoming outbreaks of mental disorders that can result in significant morbidity and mortality and guide timely targeted actions to improve mental health outcomes and wellbeing in the youngest.