EPA-0618 – Child and adolescent psychiatry and primary health care: a quantitative study

Abstract

Introduction In Brazil, the public health system is universal and regionalized. Currently, it is being restructured starting from the primary care system. In Rio de Janeiro there is a lack of children and adolescents mental health professionals, and there is a deficient system to attend the demand, without integration between health and educational systems and insufficient and inadequate psychology, pedagogy, speech therapy, occupational therapy and medical care. The city of Rio de Janeiro is divided in 10 Programmatic Areas (PA). The Child and Adolescent psychiatry of Piquet Carneiro Policlinic (PPC)/ UERJ covers, amongst three more units, the PA 2.2 of 371.120 habitants, amid those, 74.257 are under 15 years old (IBGE, 2010). Objectives Analyze the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric demand in PPC/ UERJ in 2013, arising from the primary care system. Methodology A sample of 50 patients that were evaluated in this policlinic referred from the primary care system were attended and directed through consultations. Those evaluations were made by psychiatrists and reports and counter-referrals were fulfilled. The patients in need of psychiatric care are being accompanied. Results Out of the 50 patients, we analyzed gender, age, diagnosis, familial background, social-economical background, educational achievement and prescribed drugs. Conclusions Among the analyzed patients, we found that the majority of the cases regard learning disabilities and family issues that could have better prognosis with an integrated and multidisciplinary care. The existing units covering Child and Adolescent Mental Health in the referred PA are not enough to provide the necessary care.