Abstract
Background: Psychiatric morbidity is ubiquitous, affecting children, adolescents and adults. Age factorsplay a great role in pattern of morbidity profile. Psychiatric morbidity profile of children and adolescentsmay indicate different needs and priorities. Objective: This study aims to sort out referral pattern, attitudeabout psychiatric referral and morbidity profile among child and adolescent psychiatric out-patients in atertiary-care general hospital. Methodology: A total of 100 consecutive child and adolescent patientsin psychiatry OPD coming into contact with investigator psychiatrist were enrolled during the studyperiod. Diagnoses were made according to the ICD-10. Results: Fifty three of the subjects were female,majority of the cases (79) were of age between 13-18 years. Main ethnicity-caste groups seeking carewere Mongol, Brahmin, Chhetri and indigenous Terai tribes. People from semi-urban and urban settingspredominated in this study. Great majority (more than 80%) had reached this service in the 4th or in morethan the 4th step of their help seeking. Most of the subjects were comfortable and happy about psychiatricreferral. More than half had presented mainly with physical and somatic complaints. Major psychiatricdiagnoses encountered were mood (affective), anxiety, seizure, dissociative conversion disorders andmental retardation. Four percent of subjects had suicidal behaviours and 17% migraine headache.Conclusion: Common psychiatric diagnoses among these child and adolescent out-patients are mood,anxiety, seizure, dissociative conversion disorders and mental retardation.Key words: Attitude to psychiatric consultation; child and adolescent; out-patient; psychiatric morbidityDOI: 10.3126/jnps.v30i2.2604J. Nepal Paediatr. Soc. May-August, 2010 Vol 30(2) 79-84
Highlights
Various studies from developing countries including India show that a significant percentage of child and adolescent population suffers from mental illness[1,2,3,4,5]
The common psychiatric disorders affecting other adults[9], affect many child and adolescents. Such disorders usually affecting adult, distressing in this age group include mood, and neurotic and stressrelated and somatoform disorders including anxiety and dissociative disorders[2,5,7]. Another group of disorders are commonly diagnosed among child and adolescents
The final psychiatric diagnosis was made by a consultant psychiatrist (MD-psychiatry with exposure training on child and adolescent mental health) according to the ICD-10 criteria[12]
Summary
Various studies from developing countries including India show that a significant percentage (ranging between 7-35%) of child and adolescent population suffers from mental illness[1,2,3,4,5] They are reported to seek help in psychiatric service facilities for a variety of psychiatric disorders[4,5,6,7,8]. Such disorders usually affecting adult, distressing in this age group include mood (affective), and neurotic and stressrelated and somatoform disorders including anxiety and dissociative (conversion) disorders[2,5,7] Another group of disorders are commonly diagnosed among child and adolescents. Major psychiatric diagnoses encountered were mood (affective), anxiety, seizure, dissociative conversion disorders and mental retardation. Conclusion: Common psychiatric diagnoses among these child and adolescent out-patients are mood, anxiety, seizure, dissociative conversion disorders and mental retardation
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