TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2008//
TI  - Psychiatric Disorders in Tsunami-Affected Children in Ranong Province, Thailand
JO  - Medical principles and practice
A1  - Piyavhatkul, Nawanant
A1  - Pairojkul, Srivieng
A1  - Suphakunpinyo, Chanyut
SP  - 290
EP  - 295
VL  - 17
IS  - 4
N2  - Objective: To study the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in children affected by the Asian tsunami in Ranong province, Southern Thailand 10 months after the disaster. Subjects and Methods: The subjects were 47 boys and 47 girls, age 1-18 years, who were affected by the tsunami. They were participants in the Psychosocial Care and Protection System for Tsunami-Affected Children in Ranong Province project. The subjects were interviewed by a psychiatrist and diagnoses were made according to DSM IV criteria. Results: Of the 94 children, 47 (50%) had at least one psychiatric diagnosis: posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): n = 31 (33%); major depression: n = 9 (9.6%); adjustment disorder: n = 9 (9.6%), and separation anxiety disorder: n = 3 (3.2%). The psychiatric diagnoses, specifically PTSD, were significantly associated with the child's age and exposure to the traumatic events. Conclusion: Ten months after the tsunami disaster, there is a high prevalence of psychiatric disorders in children, suggesting the importance of early identification, intervention and follow-up.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1011-7571
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000129608
ID  - ref1
ER  -