More Ontario youth than expected made visits to the hospital for self-harm during COVID-19: study – CTV
Sept. 18, 2023
WARNING – This article deals with self-harm. If you or someone you know is in crisis, refer to the resources available at the bottom of the story.
The rate of hospital visits for self-harm was greater than expected for Ontario youth during the first two and a half years of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study has found.
The Canadian Medical Association Journal published a peer-reviewed study Monday(opens in a new tab) that looked at emergency department (ED) visit and hospital admission rates for self-harm in youth 10 to 17 years old between Jan. 1, 2017, and June 30, 2022, which includes the first 28 months of the pandemic.
The study found that among a children and adolescent population of about 1.3 million that was eligible for provincial health insurance, ED visits for self-harm were about 29 per cent higher than expected and 72 per cent greater for hospital admissions.
