The Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders in Children and Adolescents in Hamadan Province, West of Iran.

BACKGROUND: There are numerous reports regarding increasing childhood and adolescent mental health problems. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in Hamadan Province, west of Iran from July 2016 to May 2017.

STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study.

METHODS: The sample included 1025 Hamadan residents selected using multistage cluster sampling. Psychiatric disorders were assessed by semi-structured psychiatric interview Kiddie-Sads-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL). The data were analyzed using the SPSS software. We used the multivariable logistic regression to predict the Odds Ratios (ORs).

RESULTS: The prevalence of total psychiatric disorder was 8.6%. Psychiatric disorders in boys were higher than girls (12.6% and 4.9%, respectively). The psychiatric disorders were most prevalent in 6-9 yr old age group (11%). The prevalence of behavioral disorder was 3.8% with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as the most prevalent case (2.0%). The prevalence of anxiety disorder was 2.8% in which the highest prevalence belonged to separation anxiety disorder (SAD) (1.1%). The prevalence of neurodevelopment disorder was 1.5% with the highest prevalence of 1% observed in epilepsy. The prevalence of mood disorder was 1.1% with the depressive disorder as the most prevalent one (1.0%). The prevalence of enuresis was 2.7%. The most common comorbidities were anxiety and mood disorders 5(50.0%).

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of these disorders in Hamadan was less than the prevalence in other cities of Iran. These findings can be helpful for large-scale planning for children and adolescents.