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Psychiatric Disorders in a Paediatric Primary Care Clinic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

O. Gureje*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University College Hospital, Ibadan
O. O. Omigbodun
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University College Hospital, Ibadan
R. Gater
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Withington Hospital
R. A. Acha
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University College Hospital, Ibadan
B. A. Ikuesan
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University College Hospital, Ibadan
J. Morris
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Statistics, Withington Hospital, West Didsbury, Manchester
*
Dr O. Gureje, Department of Psychiatry, University College Hospital, P.M.B. 6116, Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Background

The proportion of children with psychiatric disorders treated in primary care is not known in most developing countries.

Method

In a two-stage epidemiological study, 990 children aged between 7 and 14 years were screened with the parents' version of the Rutter scale. Of these, a stratified sample of 227 was interviewed jointly with their mothers, using the children's version of the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS).

Results

We obtained a weighted prevalence of 19.6 ± 2.5% for the presence of one or more DSM-III-R disorders. Depressive disorders were present in 6.0%, anxiety-related disorders in 4.7%, and conduct disorders in 6.1%.

Conclusion

Psychiatric disorders in children are common in primary care. Doctors working at this level of care need the skills to detect and treat them.

Type
Short Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1994 

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