Objective: To describe the magnitude and socio-demographic correlates of specific mental and behavioural disorders.
Design: A cross-sectional survey.
Setting: Butajira district, southern Ethiopia.
Participants: The Amharic version of the Diagnostic Instrument for Children and Adolescents (DICA) was used to interview parents of 1,477 children.
Main outcome measures: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Disruptive behaviour disorders, mood and anxiety disorders.
Results: Using a multivariate logistic model, age was significantly associated with ADHD. Children between 10 and 14 years of age had more than three-fold increased risk of ADHD compared to younger children: adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval (OR, 95% CI) = 3.17 (1.16, 8.67), p=0.02. Residence in urban area was also significantly associated with ADHD: adjusted OR (95% CI) = 2.84 (1.14-7.07), p=0.03. Disruptive behaviour disorders were significantly associated with increasing age: adjusted OR (95% CI) = 4.24 (1.43, 12.6). Mood and anxiety disorders were not significantly associated with any of the sociodemographic variable studied.
Conclusion: The study shows that age and residence in urban areas are significant correlates of behavioural disorders in children.