title: Clinical Profile and Sex Differences in Brazilian Children and Adolescents Receiving Psychiatric Services in the Emergency Department.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We present a survey of sex differences and socio-demographic and clinical variables in children and adolescents receiving a psychiatric consultation service in an emergency department (ED).
  
  
  METHODS
  This observational, retrospective, and cross-sectional study included all records of patients (age, <18 years) who received psychiatric services in an ED in a 4-year period (January 2010 to December 2013).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred fifty-nine records of children and adolescents were located. The mean age of the participants was 14.19 years, and most subjects were female (59.5%) and had private health insurance (83.7%). Most participants (87.4%) were accompanied by their parents. The main complaints were suicide attempts (21.8%) and psychomotor agitation/aggressiveness (21.8%). Unipolar depression (37.8%) and adjustment, reactive, and anxiety disorders (13.7%) were the most prevalent diagnoses. Most patients received an indication of psychiatric hospitalization (51.7%). Females had more suicide attempts than males (28.3% vs 12.4%) and less psychomotor agitation/aggressiveness than males (15.5% vs 31.4%). Females also exhibited more unipolar depression (47.6% vs 23.5%), fewer psychotic disorders (4.2% vs 16.3%), and substance use/misuse (1.4% vs 13.3%) than males. Males needed more psychiatric medication during evaluation (37.9% vs 19.2%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This survey of the profile of pediatric patients evaluated by a psychiatric service in an ED in Brazil was the first of its kind. The large percentage of patients referred for hospitalization highlights the importance of specialized psychiatry care for this age group in this facility, which is a common entry point for mental health care.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Psychiatry, Hospital São Lucas da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul.
authors.forename: Jordana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tonezer
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thomaz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Psychiatry, Hospital São Lucas da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul.
authors.forename: Gibsi Possapp
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Psychiatry, Hospital São Lucas da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul.
authors.forename: Rogéria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Recondo
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Psychiatry, Hospital São Lucas da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul.
authors.forename: Eduardo Lopes
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Psychiatry, Hospital São Lucas da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul.
authors.forename: Lucas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spanemberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D004637:Emergency Services, Psychiatric; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D008605:Mental Health Services; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012727:Sex Characteristics