The characteristics of adolescents aged 15–19 years who received psychiatric treatment for the first time in British Columbia in 1966 are considered. Females predominated substantially over males, as did those living in urban areas over those in rural ones. Somatic, psychological, behavioural and suicidal presenting problems were commoner in females, with delinquent and academic ones being more frequent in males. Depression, psycho-neurosis and personality disorders were commoner in females. Medication was used in conjunction with psychotherapy more frequently in females. Long-term psychotherapy (more than 16 visits to a psychiatric facility) was employed in only 3 percent of females and 2 percent of males. Psychiatrists provided the greatest amount of care given. The hypothesis that females from rural areas living in the city constitute a vulnerable group of individuals more likely than their adolescent peers to seek psychiatric care requires evaluation in a further study.
References
1.
AdelsteinA.M., DownhamD.Y., SteinZ., SussexM.W.: The epidemiology of mental illness in an English city.Soc Psychiatry, 3: 47–59, 1968.
2.
BahnA.K., GardnerE.A., AlltopL., KnatterudG.L., SolomonM.: Admission and prevalence rates for psychiatric facilities in four register aeas.Am J Pub Hlth, 56: 2033–2051, 1966.
3.
BaldwinJ.A.: Psychiatric illness from birth to maturity: An epidemiological study.Acta Psychiatr Scand, 44: 313–333, 1968.
4.
BaldwinJ.A., RobertsonN.C., SatinD.G.: The incidence of reported deviant behaviour in children.Int Psychiat Clin, 8: 161–175, 1971.
5.
BastideR.: The Sociology of Mental Disorder.London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1972.
6.
GardnerE.A., MilesH.C., BahnA.K., RomanoJ.: All psychiatric experience in a community.Arch Gen Psychiatry, 9: 369–378, 1963.
7.
GrahamP.J., RutterM.: Psychiatric disorder in the young adolescent: A follow-up study.Proc Rov Soc Med, 66: 1226–1229, 1973.
8.
HagnellO.: A Prospective Study of the Incidence of Mental Disorder.Norstedts: Svenska Bokförlaget, 1966.
9.
HendersonA.S.: “The Use of Psychiatric Services by Adolescents.” In, HareE.H., and WingJ.K., eds.: Psychiatric Epidemiology. An international symposium.London: Oxford University Press, 1970.
10.
HendersonA.S., KrupinskiJ., StollerA.: “Epidemiological Aspects of Adolescent Psychiatry.” In, HowellsJ.G., ed.: Modern Perspectives in Adolescent Psychiatry.Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, 1971.
11.
HendersonA.S., McCallochJ.W., PhilipA.E.: Survey of mental illness in adolescence.Br Med J1: 83–84, 1967.
12.
InnesG.: “North-Eastern Health Services Research and Intelligence Unit.” Paper presented at: A conference on psychiatric case registers. Aberdeen, 28–30, March 1973.
13.
KiddC.B., DixonG.A.: The incidence of psychiatric illness in Aberdeen teenagers.Health Bull (Edin.), 26: 7–9, 1968.
14.
KiddC.B., MackieR.E.: The psychiatrist factor in case register data interpretation.Soc Psychiatry, 2: 168–173, 1967.
15.
KrasnerM.: A discussion of the concepts of incidence and prevalence as related to epidemiologic studies of mental disorders.Am J Pub Hlth, 47: 826–840, 1957.
16.
KreitmanN.: The reliability of psychiatric diagnosis.J Ment Sci, 107: 876–886, 1961.
17.
KrupinskiJ., BackieA.G., StollerA., GravesJ., O'DayD.M., PolkeP.: A community health survey of Heyfield, Victoria.Med J Aust1: 1204–1211, 1967.
18.
KrupinskiJ., StollerA.: The Health of a Metropolis: Psychological Disorders.Melbourne: Heinemann Educational.
19.
LavikH.J.: “Urban-Rural Differences in Rates of Disorders. A comparative psychiatric population study of Norwegian adolescents.” In, GrahamP.J., ed.: Epidemiological Approaches in Child Psychiatry.London: Academic Press, 1977.
20.
MayA.R., KahnJ.H., CronholmB.: Mental Health of Adolescents and Young Persons. Public health papers, No. 41. Geneva: World Health Organization, 1971.
21.
MazerM.: A psychiatric and parapsychiatric register for an island community.Arch Gen Psychiatry, 14: 366–371, 1966.
22.
MazerM., AhernJ.: Personality and social class position in migration from an island: The implications for psychiatric illness.Int J Soc Psychiatry15: 203–208, 1969.
23.
MulliganD.G.: “Some Correlates of Maladjustment in a National Sample of School Children.” Ph.D. thesis, University of London, (unpublished), 1964.
24.
NicholH., GuichonD.: Attempted suicide among children and adolescents in 1966.B.C. Med J, 14 (5): 139–141, May 1972.
25.
RobinsL.N.: Psychiatric epidemiology.Arch Gen Psychiatry, 35: 697–702, 1978.
26.
RosenB.M., BahnA.K., ShellowR., BowerE.M.: Adolescent patients served in outpatient psychiatric clinics.Am J Pub Hlth, 55: 1563–1577, 1965.
27.
RosenB.M., KraimerM., RedickR.W., WillnerS.G.: Utilization of Psychiatric Facilities By Children: Current status, trends, implications. Public Health Service Pulication No. 1868. Washington: U.S. Dept. of Health, Education and Welfare,1968.
28.
RutterM.: “Surveys to Answer Questions.” In, GrahamP.J., ed.: Epidemiological Approaches in Child Psychiatry.London: Academic Press, 1977.
29.
ShepherdM., CooperB.: Epidemiology and mental disorder: A review.J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 27: 277–290, 1964.
30.
WarrenW.: Mental ill-health in adolescence.Pub Hlth, 77: 82–91, 1963.
31.
WarrenW.: “The Psychiatry of Adolescents.” In, HowellsJ.G., ed.: Modern Perspectives in Child Psychiatry.Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, 1965.
32.
WarrenW.: You can never plan the future by the past. The development of child and adolescent psychiatry in England and Wales.J Child Psychol Psychiatry, 11: 241–257, 1971.
33.
WeinerI.B., Del GaudioA.C.: Psychopathology in adolescence.Arch Gen Psychiatry, 33: 187–193, 1976.
34.
WingJ.K.: “Principles of Evaluation.” In, WingJ.K., HaileyA.M. eds., Evaluating a Community Psychiatric Service: The Camberwell Register, 1964–71.London: Oxford University Press, 1972.
35.
WingJ.K., HaileyA.M. (eds.): Evaluating a Community Psychiatric Service: The Camberwell Register, 1964–71.London: Oxford University Press, 1972.
36.
WingJ.K., WingL., HaileyA.M.: “The Use of Case Registers for Evaluating and Planning Psychiatric Services.” In, WingJ.K. and BransbyE.R., (eds.): Psychiatric Case Registers. Statistical report series No. 8. London: H.M.S.O.,1970.
37.
WingL.: “The Use of Case Registers in Child Psychiatry and Mental Retardation.” In, GrahamP.J., (ed.): Epidemiological Approaches in Child Psychiatry.London: Academic Press, 1977.
