Prevalence and correlates of common mental disorders among children and adolescents in Blantyre-Urban, Malawi

BACKGROUND: The high global prevalence of mental disorders justifies the need to quantify their burden in the sub-Saharan Africa where there is a dearth of information. These mental disorders are linked to different socio-demographic factors. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of, and factors associated with mental disorders among children and adolescents in Blantyre City, Malawi. METHODS: Children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 years were interviewed to determine their socio-demographic characteristics and assess their mental health status using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS). Associations between mental disorders and socio-demographic characteristics were tested using Chi-square and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of symptoms of psychopathology on the SDQ was 7.3% (95%CI 4.8–10.5%) while for the K-SADS was 5.9% (95% CI 3.7%–8.9%). The prevalence of mental disorders across the age ranges of 6 to 12 years and 13 to 17 years was 5.4% and 7.9 % respectively. Males had a higher prevalence (7.1%) compared to females (4.7%). Conduct disorder was most prevalent (3.4%), followed by either type of ADHD-Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorders (2.0%). Having a single parent (p<0.001), staying with a non-biological guardian (p<0.030), engaging in paid work (p<0.039), not attending school (p<0.019) and having teacher difficulties(p<0.028) were positively associated with a mental disorder. CONCLUSION: The socio-demographic factors associated with the risk of developing mental disorders may be important targets for mental health intervention programs.