The prevalence of psychiatric disorders among 3-4 year olds in an urban sample in Bangladesh.

Abstract

Preschool period is the most important stage of life when major development occurs that lays the foundation of later life. Nearly similar ranges of psychiatric disorders start during preschool age and they continue to childhood and adolescence. Early intervention can reduce risks of adverse psychosocial outcome and longitudinal continuity of disorders. Detailed assessment of psychiatric disorders among this population is increasingly of high importance. Present study was aimed to determine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among 3-4 year olds and to find out possible baseline correlates. This was a quantitative, cross-sectional and descriptive study carried out from March to May 2018 in 160 random urban community samples of Dhaka city. Of these, 86 were boys and 74 were girls. Household Questionnaire and validated parent version of Bangla Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for screening psychopathology had been applied to the consented parents or caregivers of the respondents. Mean age of the subjects was 3.63 ± 0.49 years. Overall, predictive prevalence of psychiatric disorder was 11.9 %. Among them, 4.4 % was emotional disorder, 5.6 % was conduct disorder and 1.9 % was hyperactivity. Prevalence of predictive psychiatric disorders was roughly similar in 3 and 4 years age. Girls had an excess of emotional disorder and boys had more behavioral disorder. Comorbidity was found at a higher rate with significant overlapping among the broad types of psychiatric disorders. This study supports the other findings of psychiatric disorders among the preschool children that would ultimately help in applying suitable screening procedures and subsequent management of psychiatric conditions.