Aim Escalating rates of childhood mental health disorders constitute a serious issue for countries like Pakistan. However, due to a scarce number of studies on childhood behavioural problems, understanding the magnitude and gap of the problem is a challenge. Thus, the present study is intended to bridge this gap. This study provides estimates for prevalence, associated demographic risk factors and the impact of behavioural and emotional problems among school children. Methods A sample of children (n = 800) from public schools of Islamabad were selected using two‐stage cluster random sampling. Data were collected from parents through telephonic interviews using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Results Prevalence of overall behaviour problems accounted for 15.9%. For conduct problems, estimates were around 26.6%, for emotional problems 22.5%, for peer problems 13%, for hyperactivity 10.6% and for social problems 3% in the initial analysis. Mother's education also appeared to be a significant predictor for mental health problems of youth, where low maternal education was associated with high prevalence and higher impact of emotional and behavioural problems in the present sample. Conclusions Prevalence estimates of the current study call for attention towards improving mental health services and access to children who are at risk or are having mental health problems. In the context of scarcity of the data from countries like Pakistan, the findings should be considered a call for mental health service providers, researchers and policymakers to scale up mental health services for youth in Pakistan.
Background and Objective:Fertility control preferences and maternal healthcare have recently become a major concern for developing nations with evidence suggesting that low fertility control rates and poor maternal healthcare are among major obstructions in ensuring health and social status for women. Our objective was toanalyze the factors that influence women’s autonomy, access to maternal healthcare, and fertility control preferences in Pakistan.Methods:Data consisted of 11,761 ever-married women of ages 15-49 years from PDHS, 2012-13. Variables included socio-demographics, women’s autonomy, fertility control preferences and access to maternal healthcare.Results:Findings from multivariate analysis showed that women’s younger age, having less than three number of children and independent or joint decision-making (indicators of high autonomy) remained the most significant predictors for access to better quality maternal healthcare and better fertility control preferences when other variables were controlled.Conclusion:Women’s access to good quality maternal health care and fertility control preferences are directly and indirectly influenced by their demographic characteristics and decision-making patterns in domestic affairs.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.