Child Assistance in a Psychosocial Care Center II: A Descriptive Study

Abstract

Background: In Brazil, the services offered to children and adolescents are still in the mold of the adult population, not contemplating the specificities of this public.Objectives: To characterize the admissions of children and adolescents in a Psychosocial Care Center II in the north of Ceará, Brazil.Materials and Methods: A quantitative descriptive study was conducted with secondary and primary data. The convenience sample comprised 1,942 admissions of children/ adolescents to the psychosocial center. The data were extracted from the attendance record and comprised the following variables: year/month of the visit, age, location of residence, diagnostic hypothesis, and medical record status.Results: The highest number of children's visits (35.64%) occurred in 2018. In 2019, teenagers accounted for most of the visits (33.50%). Most children and adolescents lived in the urban area (79.38% and 77.40%, respectively). The most frequent diagnostic hypotheses were hyperkinetic disorders (19.48%) among children and depression (20.51%) among adolescents.Conclusion:The psychosocial services provided in the center are aimed at children, teenagers, and adults. It is urgent to offer adequate service to children and adolescents who attend the service.

Keywords: Epidemiology; Mental health; Mental Health Services