Citation

Fatori D, Salum GA, Rohde LAP, Pan PM, Bressan RA, Evans-Lacko S, Polanczyk G, Miguel EC, Graeff-Martins AS. Psychiatr. Serv. 2019; 70(4): 337-341.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Sao Paulo, Brazil (Fatori, Polanczyk, Miguel); Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil (Salum, Rohde, Graeff-Martins); Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil (Pan, Bressan); Personal Social Services Research Unit, London School of Economics and Political Science, London (Evans-Lacko).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American Psychiatric Association)

DOI

10.1176/appi.ps.201800389

PMID

30651056

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:: The study examined lifetime use of mental health services among children diagnosed as having mental disorders in two major cities in Brazil and identified characteristics associated with unmet need.

METHODS:: The data were collected as part of the High Risk Cohort Study, a community study conducted in Sao Paulo and Porto Alegre, Brazil. During the period from 2010 to 2011, a total of 2,511 children ages 6 to 12 were assessed, and 652 were given a diagnosis of at least one mental disorder. The current study analyzed data for a subsample of 651 children with complete information on use of mental health services.

RESULTS:: Eighty-one percent of the children with mental disorders had not received mental health treatment in the past. The majority who received treatment were treated with psychotherapy or a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Mixed-race children were significantly more likely to have unmet need for treatment, compared with white children.

CONCLUSIONS:: The high rate of unmet need among children with mental disorders should be addressed with strategies to improve access to health care.

Language: en

Keywords

Child psychiatry/general; Epidemiology; health services; public health