Psychiatric hospital care among children and adolescents in Finland: a nationwide register study.

This register study includes all patients under 18 years in Finland discharged from psychiatric inpatient treatment in 1990 (n = 818) and 1993 (n = 958). The prevalence of children and adolescents in the population who had previously been treated was about 7-8 per 10,000. The incidence of new cases of children and adolescents who had previously been inpatients within the last year was about 5-6 per 10,000 in this age group. The prevalence was lowest in the preschool group (about 1:10,000) and highest in the adolescent group (about 12-14:10,000). About two-thirds of inpatients were boys. Adjustment disorders (DSM-III-R) were the most common diagnosis both in 1990 and 1993 (about 30%). Mood and anxiety disorders were the second most frequent (19-23%) and disruptive behaviour disorders the third most frequent (13-15%) diagnostic category. The diagnostic profiles differed largely according to sex and age.