Mental Disorders in A Sample of Children From Baghdad

Abstract

AbstractBackground:Many researches in the past 15 years have shown that recent life events are associated with an increased psychiatric morbidity among children. Assessment of mental health of Iraqi children became increasingly important, particularly after the devastation yielded by the three successive wars and the economic sanction.Objective: To describe the impact and pattern of psychiatric morbidity in Iraqi children.Methods: This is an out patient-based prevalence study carried out in Al- Yarmouk teaching hospital/Baghdad/Iraq during a two years period (July 2001-July 2003). Out of the 11452 patients attending the hospital; 108 were children (4-12 years) that represent the studied sample. All children were exposed to a semi-structural interview and were assessed by social workers and psychiatrists. Results: Emotional disorders were the most common mental problems (30%) followed by epilepsy (18%) and depression (13%).Conclusion: The findings suggest that mental condition of Iraqi children is a problem that needs to be carefully assessed and dealt with. Keywords: Mental disorders, children, Iraq