Child and adolescent psychiatric epidemiology in India

Abstract

The increasing focus on child mental health in developing countries like India points to the importance of epidemiological data in developing training, service and research paradigms.This review attempts to synthesise and evaluate the available research on the prevalence of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders in India and highlight significant conceptual and methodological trends. It identified 55 epidemiological studies conducted between 1964 and 2002 in the community and school settings. Despite considerable progress, various methodological lacunae continue to limit the value of the epidemiological surveys. These include issues related to sampling, case definition methods, tools, multi-informant data and data analysis. The importance of a socio-culturally relevant research framework has been highlighted. The review suggests directions for future research to guide planning of services that meet the mental health needs of vulnerable children and adolescents.

Keywords: adolescent; children; epidemiology; prevalence; psychiatric disorders.