Developing Services with Limited Resources: Establishing a CAMHS in Pakistan

Area of Science:

• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Global Mental Health Services Research

Background:

• Pakistan faces a significant deficit in mental health services for children.
• Aga Khan University Hospital established a specialized child psychiatry clinic in 2002 to address this gap.
• The clinic accepted referrals from medical professionals, parents, and schools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the initial phase and characteristics of a new child mental health service in Pakistan.
• To understand the demographic profile, referral patterns, and diagnostic trends in children seeking psychiatric care.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive study utilizing data from new referrals over a three-year period.
• Standardized, semi-structured interviews based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) were employed.
• Data collection included demographics, referral sources, diagnoses, and treatments.

Main Results:

• The clinic received 290 new referrals over three years.
• Aggressive behavior was the most frequent presenting problem, potentially masking other underlying conditions.
• Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was the most common diagnosis, affecting 25% of the pediatric patient population.

Conclusions:

• Specialized child mental health services can be effectively implemented even with limited resources in developing countries.
• Integration within existing health and educational frameworks is crucial for maximizing impact.
• Community protective factors should be leveraged to enhance mental health support for children.