Mental Health Problems among Slum Children – A Preliminary Survey

Abstract

Slum children are at risk for serious mental health problems because of their economic and social environments. Little is known about their mental health. This cross sectional study was carried out to know the extent of mental health problems among slum-dweller children in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. One hundred and twenty students of four different primary schools were selected. In the first stage of the study, socio-demographic data as well as information about mental health problems were collected through socio-demographic questionnaire and validated Bengali version of Rutter B2 scale respectively, from the teachers of the schools. In the second stage, all the students were assessed again personally by the both authors with the help of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders- fourth edition (DSM-IV). High prevalence of mental health problems was found among slum children (70.8%). Emotional, conduct and undifferentiated disorders were detected in 14.17%, 45.83% and 10.83%, respectively. Conduct disorder was 3.23 times more prevalent in the children than was emotional disorder. It was more prevalent in boys than in girls (57.90% vs 34.90%). Significant relationships were found among gender and emotional disorder (p < 0.030), father’s employment status and undifferentiated disorder (p < 0.010), substance abuse by father and child’s emotional disorder(p <0.050) and also, gender and conduct disorder (p < 0.001). High prevalence of mental health problems among slum children is alarming. Unrecognized and consecutively untreated mental health problems during childhood may have life-long impact.