253 - Depression Screening in a School Based Population in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti: A Descriptive Study Taylor Argo, MD, Evan Kourtjian, BS, Jeri Kessenich, MD Helen Devos Children's Hospital Grand Rapids, MI, USA

Abstract

Purpose: The country of Haiti is just 700 miles south of Miami, yet is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Over 80% of its population lives in poverty, 60% are unemployed and the incidence of HIV/AIDs is one of the highest in the world. Further, 50% of the population is under the age of 20, leaving adolescents to bear the majority of the burden. While the poor health of Haiti's population is well documented, there is limited data on the prevalence of mental health disorders, especially in children and adolescents. With the country's widespread violence, gang activity, rape and death, it is fair to assume mental illnesses, such as depression, are likely to be prevalent. However a 2003 WHO report noted only 10 psychiatrists working in the public sector, demonstrating Haiti's severe lack of resources. In 2010, the non-profit organization Power of Education (PEF) School was founded in Port-au-Prince, Haiti serving 300 students in K-9th grade. Semiannually, medical teams from Helen DeVos Children's Hospital travel to PEF and provide care to all students. Over the years, clinicians have suspected a high prevalence of mental health disorders among the students. In response to this concern, the PHQ-9 depression questionnaire was distributed to all 6th-9th grade students in April 2017. With this information, we hope to determine the prevalence of depression and implement strategies to better care for this population in a culturally sensitive manner.