The Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorder in Rural School Children

Abstract

The multidetermined nature of psychiatric disorder in childhood calls for a detailed assessment of the individual and his family, and often a team approach to treatment. Since this involves contact with the family over a period of time the delivery of this type of service to children living in remote areas under conditions of geographical isolation can present considerable difficulty. A survey of 10- and 11-year-old children from the far West of Queensland showed a prevalence rate for psychiatric disorder of 10% among those whose parents were willing to complete a questionnaire and attend the child's school for interview. Although this is lower than rates obtained for children living in towns on the East coast and in metropolitan Brisbane it still represents a sizeable group of children who require psychiatric help in areas where presently none is available. A method of family assessment and treatment for country children evolved by the psychiatric unit of a metropolitan children's hospital, shows the remoteness of home need not preclude the disturbed child from psychiatric expertise, although facilities must be augmented if children from an often forgotten sector of the Australian population are to be covered adequately.