Epidemiological study of child & adolescent psychiatric disorders in urban & rural areas of Bangalore, India.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: There are limited data on child mental health needs in our country. Therefore, an epidemiological study to determine the prevalence rates of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders was initiated as a two-centre (Bangalore and Lucknow) study by the Indian Council of Medical Research. It also aimed to study the psychosocial correlates of the psychiatric disorders. We present here the findings of Bangalore Centre.

METHODS

In Bangalore, 2064 children aged 0-16 yr, were selected by stratified random sampling from urban middle-class, urban slum and rural areas. The screening stage was followed by a detailed evaluation stage. The ICD-10 DCR criteria were used to reach a penta-axial diagnosis.

RESULTS

The results indicated a prevalence rate of 12.5 per cent among children aged 0-16 yr. There were no significant differences among prevalence rates in urban middle class, slum and rural areas. The psychiatric morbidity among 0-3 yr old children was 13.8 per cent with the most common diagnoses being breath holding spells, pica, behaviour disorder NOS, expressive language disorder and mental retardation. The prevalence rate in the 4-16 yr old children was 12.0 per cent. Enuresis, specific phobia, hyperkinetic disorders, stuttering and oppositional defiant disorder were the most frequent diagnoses. When impairment associated with the disorder was assessed, significant disability was found in 5.3 per cent of the 4-16 yr group. Assessment of felt treatment needs indicated that only 37.5 per cent of the families perceived that their children had any problem. Physical abuse and parental mental disorder were significantly associated with psychiatric disorders.

INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Prevalence rates of psychiatric morbidity in 0-16 yr old children in India were found to be lower than Western figures. Middle class urban areas had highest and urban slum areas had lowest prevalence rates. The implications for clinical training, practice and policy initiatives are discussed.