Epidemiology of paramedic responses to paediatric patients with acute mental health-related presentations in New South Wales, Australia

Abstract

Paediatric mental health has become an increasing concern in Australia, where a growing number of children are experiencing acute mental health episodes. Unfortunately, many of these children have not received timely or adequate treatment, which has led to an increased risk of long-term mental health challenges. When a mental health crisis occurs, paramedics are frequently the first point of call for patients, carers and families; however, the capacity of paramedic services and paramedics themselves to safely navigate such situations and the nature of the care they provide has to date been poorly described. Routinely collected information from ambulance service administrative, dispatch and clinical record data has been providing valuable insights into paramedic interactions, which, in turn, have been facilitating a rich description of how mental health crises are being handled and enabling the identification of factors that have been influencing the need for involuntary care. This research study’s aim was to analyse the frequency of paramedic responses and changes in patient demographics, assess paramedic mental health care practices, and identify predictors of involuntary care for paediatrics. There is strong evidence that the frequency of paramedic responses to paediatric patients with acute mental health conditions has been increasing and may be indicative of patients, carers and families viewing paramedics as the first point of call when a crisis develops. The most notable was growth in responses to younger patients aged 5–14 years. Involuntary care was uncommon but tended to be more so among female patients. Males receiving involuntary care were more likely to be mechanically or chemically restrained. Whilst mental health education and training for paramedics would appear to have been increasing, the data suggests that enhanced paediatric-focused components within those packages are necessary to ensure the quality of care and the successful navigation of complex consent contexts relating to determining patient disposition. Rich opportunities exist for broader suites of prospective research exploring patient outcomes and the experiences of consumers and paramedics in receiving and providing care.

Date of Award	2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Western Sydney University
Supervisor	Liz Thyer (Supervisor) & Paul Simpson (Supervisor)