title: Prevalence of psychiatric disorders in the Texas juvenile correctional system.
abstract: Most studies assessing the burden of psychiatric disorders in juvenile correctional facilities have been based on small or male-only samples or have focused on a single disorder. Using electronic data routinely collected by the Texas juvenile correctional system and its contracted medical provider organization, we estimated the prevalence of selected psychiatric disorders among youths committed to Texas juvenile correctional facilities between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2008 (N = 11,603). Ninety-eight percent were diagnosed with at least one of the disorders. Highest estimated prevalence was for conduct disorder (83.2%), followed by any substance use disorder (75.6%), any bipolar disorder (19.4%), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (18.3%), and any depressive disorder (12.6%). The estimated prevalence of psychiatric disorders among these youths was exceptionally high and showed patterns by sex, race/ethnicity, and age that were both consistent and inconsistent with other juvenile justice samples.
authors.affiliation: Division of Correctional Managed Care, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA. ajharzke@utmb.edu
authors.forename: Amy Jo
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Harzke
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baillargeon
authors.forename: Gwen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baillargeon
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: Rene L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Olvera
authors.forename: Ohiana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Torrealday
authors.forename: Joseph V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Penn
authors.forename: Rajendra
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Parikh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D011330:Prisons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology