Objective

To determine the prevalence of mental disorders in children treated at a regional psychiatric hospital.

Materials and Methods

Period prevalence study. A secondary database was supplied by the Hospital Psiquiátrico Universitario del Valle (HPUV) of Santiago de Cali. This database came from the systematized clinical history of the year 2014. The population consisted of underage patients who consulted during the period. All the records available in the database were used.

Results

Of the total number of children who visited the clinic, 35.7% (755) were females and 64.3% were males (1 361). The main psychiatric diagnosis observed in this population was depressive episode (11.6%), followed by mixed behavioral and emotional disorder (8.5%).

Conclusions

The evolution of mental health over time has not changed significantly. The 2015 National Mental Health Survey presents similar results to those found in this study, particularly in the Pacific region, where depression and behavioral disorders are more prevalent.