Adolescent and young adult stress and coping during COVID-19: the utility of a pediatric emergency department screener

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 altered lives, especially adolescents and young adults who lost their emotional and social support systems and may be suffering. OBJECTIVE: In response to the coronavirus pandemic, a questionnaire was created and administered to Pediatric Emergency Department (PED) patients in order to identify psychosocial stress and coping abilities. METHODS: A 12-question (yes/no) quality improvement (QI) paper-based questionnaire was administered by PED providers to assess psychosocial stress and coping among patients 12 years and greater who presented to the PED at a tertiary Children’s Hospital, March-September 2020. Questions were asked/recorded to determine rates of distress and provide social work intervention, if needed. Analysis-Chi-squared, Fisher’s exact, and Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: Among 1261 PED patients who participated in the study, the mean age was 15.4 years (SD = 2.4), (58% female, 41.5% male, 0.6% missing data). We identified 611 patients (48.5%) who admitted to feeling scared about contracting the disease, 876 patients (69.5%) who were concerned about the health of their families, and 229 patients (18.2%) who screened positive for food insecurity. In addition, 596 patients (47.3%) felt anxiety, 333 patients (26.4%) felt depressed, and 13 patients (1%) admitted to having suicidal ideation because of COVID-19. The majority of patients, 1165 (92.4%), felt supported during the pandemic. Social work was consulted for 235 (18.6%) of patients participating. CONCLUSIONS: While patients typically present to PEDs for a somatic complaint, screening their psychosocial and emotional states may reveal underlying mental health concerns that require intervention and at times, assistance from social workers.