Psychiatric disorders in tsunami-affected children in Ranong province, Thailand.

OBJECTIVE To study the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in children affected by the Asian tsunami in Ranong province, Southern Thailand 10 months after the disaster. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The subjects were 47 boys and 47 girls, age 1-18 years, who were affected by the tsunami. They were participants in the Psychosocial Care and Protection System for Tsunami-Affected Children in Ranong Province project. The subjects were interviewed by a psychiatrist and diagnoses were made according to DSM IV criteria. RESULTS Of the 94 children, 47 (50%) had at least one psychiatric diagnosis: posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): n = 31 (33%); major depression: n = 9 (9.6%); adjustment disorder: n = 9 (9.6%), and separation anxiety disorder: n = 3 (3.2%). The psychiatric diagnoses, specifically PTSD, were significantly associated with the child's age and exposure to the traumatic events. CONCLUSION Ten months after the tsunami disaster, there is a high prevalence of psychiatric disorders in children, suggesting the importance of early identification, intervention and follow-up.