Detection of child mental health disorders by general practitioners

Few children with mental disorders access specialist services. Although previous studies suggest that general practitioner (GP) recognition is limited, parents may not be presenting these problems.

To compare GP recognition of disorders with child mental health data and to examine factors affecting recognition, in particular whether recognition is enhanced if the parent expresses concern during the consultation.

A two-phase design involving an initial community survey of children between the ages of 5 and 11 years. In the second phase, primary care attenders who were regarded by their GP as having a mental health disorder were compared with those who were not.

Five general practices in Croydon, outer London.

For 186 children attending primary care, GP recognition of disorders was compared with the results of a child mental health questionnaire completed by parents. Accuracy and predictors of GP recognition were examined.

Seventy-four per cent of children meeting criteria for caseness were not recognised by GPs as having a mental health disorder. The expression of parental concern in the consultation about a mental health problem increased the sensitivity of recognition from 26% to 88%. Expression of concern also increased GP recognition of non-cases; this reflected GP identification of other mental health and learning problems. Only a third of parents who had concerns expressed these during the consultation.

GPs are responsive to concern and take parental views into account. As well as detecting disorders, GPs are also sensitive to other psychosocial and educational problems that may present in primary care. There is a need for parental education about child mental health disorders.