Colorado Adult Behavioral Health Emergency Room Visits Increased During COVID-19

During the first 18 months of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency in Colorado, adult emergency department visits for anxiety and addiction disorder increased. Prior to COVID-19, adult visits with a primary diagnosis of anxiety disorder represented about 0.4% of all emergency department visits, which increased by 921 visits during the first 18 months of COVID-19.

During the first 18 months of COVID-19, there were 759 additional emergency department visits for a primary diagnosis of alcohol-related disorder by adults, raising the frequency for this diagnosis from the 13th most to 5th most . . .