Trends in Proportion of Delirium Among Older Emergency Department Patients in South Korea, 2017-2022

Delirium-related ED visits among older adults showed a notable 7.8% decrease during the late pandemic period, with key risk groups identified, particularly adults 65-74 of age (40.6% increase) and those referred from institutions (27.5% increase) during the early pandemic period. These findings may help inform targeted interventions and public health responses in similar healthcare settings. Despite limitations including reliance on diagnostic codes, lack of subgroup analysis by COVID-19 status, potential duplicate visit counts, and limited regional granularity this study offers important insight into delirium care needs during crisis periods. Further research should further explore causal mechanisms and the specific impact of COVID-19 infection on delirium incidence.