Caractéristiques d’une population adolescente en fonction de son lieu de consultation : comparaison entre un service de psychiatrie adulte et un service de psychiatrie infanto-juvénile

Abstract: Aims: Describing, analyzing and comparing the teenage population from 15 to 20years old who was consulting a psychiatrist during one year, in the pedopsychiatric and adult psychiatric services of a given geographic sector. Methods: We conducted a retrospective survey based on the files/cases of teenagers having consulted at least once over the year 2008, in one or the other ambulatory care service. Grid-in questions were elaborated specifically for the purpose of this survey, in order to collect sociodemographic data, analyze medical courses, psychiatric histories and therapeutic support. Results: Over the year 2008, 184 teenagers from 15 to 20years old were admitted in consultation among which 112 on the ambulatory pedopsychiatric department and 72 on the adult psychiatric department. The consultant teenagers having in the pedopsychiatric department are younger, they were more often referred by their school institution, more than half of them were living within a single-parent family and were diagnosed a personality or a neurotic disorder, whereas teenagers consulting in adult psychiatry department were referred by institutions, their family or a doctor, are more likely to be out of school (17 %), and were more often diagnosed with mood disorder or troubles related to their environment. Against all expectations, they do not have more psychiatric history (hospitalization). However, their care differs according to where they consult. Pedopsychiatrists more often refer their patients to a therapist (29 % versus 13 %) and prescribe less often medicinal treatment (24 % versus 40 %). Conclusion: Teenagers who are monitored in psychiatric department for adults hardly differ from those who were monitored in pedopsychiatric department. Far from competing pedopsychiatric and adult psychiatric departments are complementary. A prospective survey over several years and extra surveys covering other geographical sectors would allow to confirm these data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]