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Child psychiatric consultations in a general hospital
Insights
Parental referrals increased in child psychiatry over 3 years, surpassing school referrals from 1984. Common childhood mental health conditions like developmental delays and behavioral issues persist.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Pediatric Mental Health Services
- Healthcare Referral Patterns
Background:
- Review of child psychiatry referral patterns over a 3-year period.
- Study conducted in a general hospital setting with existing adult psychiatric services.
- Focus on out-patient services for children.
Purpose of the Study:
- Compare current child psychiatry referral trends with a 1984 local study.
- Analyze changes in referral sources and common pediatric mental health conditions.
Main Methods:
- Demographic data collected via questionnaire for children under 16.
- Analysis of medical records for patients seen between January 1992 and December 1994.
- Retrospective review of referral patterns.
Main Results:
- Parental referrals became the primary source, exceeding school health service referrals compared to 1984.
- Prevalence of mental retardation, neurosis, and adjustment reactions remained consistent.
- Shift in referral initiation observed.
Conclusions:
- Child psychiatric referrals are influenced by parental acceptance and tolerance of mental health support.
- Behavioral factors significantly impact the referral process.
- Parental perception plays a crucial role in accessing child psychiatric services.
Background:
The referral pattern of child psychiatry was reviewed over a period of 3 years. The setting was a local general hospital with in-patient and out-patient adult psychiatric services. The cases studied were from out-patient based services rendered for children.
Objective:
To draw a comparison between trends of referral from a study conducted locally in 1984 in a child guidance clinic.
Methods:
A questionnaire was used to collect demographic information for children below 16 years. Medical records of patients seen between January 1992 and December 1994 were analysed.
Results:
In our study, parental referrals topped the list of source of referrals compared to referrals from school health service in the study conducted in 1984. The conditions commonly seen remained the same, namely mental retardation, neurosis and adjustment reaction.
Conclusion:
Children were referred according to parent tolerance and acceptance of psychiatric help as well as behaviour.