Abstract:
Introduction
The number of children and adolescents admitted in Dar es Salaam juvenile centres
due to misbehaviour and criminal offences has risen from 20 to 30 per month.
Increasing aberrant behaviours in children have been linked to mental disorders.
Assessment of presence mental health disorders as the main cause of these
behaviours would be important to restore mental health of children and assist the
system to impose a fair trial.
Objective
This study aimed to determine the presence of mental disorders and associated
factors among children and adolescents within Dar es Salaam juvenile systems and
explore factors that may affect their mental health while in juvenile home.
Methods
The mixed research method was used to estimate prevalence of mental disorders by a
cross-sectional study and a qualitative method was applied to evaluate mental
disorders according to DSM IV TR criteria.
Results
The overall prevalence of mental dysfunction by mental status evaluation was 3%:
95% (Cl; 25.3 - 43.2; n =37 out of 108). The younger age group (13-15) years
presented with a prevalence of 30%: 95% (Cl; 14.7 - 44.5) while the older
adolescents (16 - 17 years) had a prevalence of 55%: 95% (Cl; 43.3 - 67.1).
Attention deficit disorder was found in some children, some had history of drug and
alcohol abuse, with few sexual disorders, depression and brief psychotic reaction and
was found to be common among adolescent with unstable family situations such as
death of parents, divorce of parents, and single parented children.
Conclusion
Findings are suggestive that there is a presence of underlying mental disorders in
some of the adolescents in the juvenile detention. Thus mental health screening for
children in juvenile homes should be made mandatory in order to identify causes of
aberrant behaviour as well as provide treatment, prevent complications and maintain
VI
mental health of these children. Mental health screening for such children would also
assist in conducting a fair trial for these emancipated children.
