Prevalencia de trastornos afectivos y factores asociados en escolares de Cuenca 2011

Abstract

Objective: to determine the prevalence and factors associated with affective disorders: depression and anxiety in the primary school population of Cuenca, 2011.

Methodology: This transversal study includes 1000 primary school children in Cuenca, in the province Azuay, chosen by random sampling. For the diagnosis of affective disorders the "Observation Guide of Stott" was used, for family functioning the tool "Family APGAR" was used, furthermore a test was included to detect child abuse. We used a prevalence ratio with 95% confidence interval, Chi square was used to demonstrate the association between affective disorders and their associated factors.

Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was as high as 15.2%, for anxiety this was 16.2%. Depression was seen more in children of 10-13 years old, for anxiety there was no difference between age groups; in the male sex there was no age difference for both pathologies. Urban residence was proven to be a protective factor for depression and anxiety; mean child abuse risk for both diseases, Dysfunctional families, was risk factors for both affective disorders in this study. Migration was not a significant risk factor.

Conclusion: Primary school children with dysfunctional families have a higher risk to develop depression and anxiety disorders. Migration was only a risk factor for depressive disorders. Urban residence appeared to be a protective factor for both affective disorders.