title: Mental health services for war-affected children: report of a survey in Kosovo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In war-affected societies it is assumed that the major mental health problem facing the population will be stress reactions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the creation of a child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) in Kosovo after the military conflict ended in 1999, and to establish the range of problems and diagnoses that presented.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected on 559 patients over 2 years, including their referring problems and diagnoses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stress-related disorders constituted only a fifth of the case-load in year 1. A substantial number of patients were symptom-free but attended because they had been exposed to a traumatic event, and believed it might make them ill. Non-organic enuresis and learning disability were the most common diagnoses in year 2. Many patients had a complex mix of social and psychological difficulties that did not fit conventional diagnostic categories.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mental health services that only address traumatic stress may fail to meet the needs of war-affected children. A comprehensive, culturally appropriate CAMHS is needed to address a wide range of problems including learning disability. It should be developed through local actors, and build on existing local infrastructure. Services can also have an educational role in 'depathologising' normative responses.
authors.affiliation: Child Advocacy International and Centre for Family Research, Cambridge University, UK.
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Alban
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rrustemi
authors.forename: Mimoza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shahini
authors.forename: Aferdita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003469:Culture; D004775:Enuresis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011593:Psychology, Social; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D014857:Warfare; D015022:Yugoslavia / Q000453:epidemiology