Profil sociodémographique et clinique des enfants examinés en pédopsychiatrie dans un cadre médico-légal

Background

Child and adolescent psychiatrists are increasingly being requested by judicial authorities to examine children and adolescents. This increase is in part attributable to progress in Tunisian legislation on the protection of women and children. Nevertheless, clinicians have encountered several difficulties in conducting these examinations. This study aims to analyse the epidemiological and clinical profiles of children examined in a medico-legal context and to discuss the difficulties in managing these examinations.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study that examined the records of all patients referred to the Child Psychiatry Department in Monastir as part of medico-legal examinations during the years 2021–2022. We therefore filled in a form to investigate the child's socio-demographic data, background and the specifics of the medical-legal examination.

Results

Our study included 454 children and adolescents with a M/F sex ratio equal to 103 and an average age of 11 years. The majority of the population was of low socioeconomic status and lived in a disrupted environment. Child abuse (60.1%), particularly of the sexual type (53.5%), was the most frequent reason for requesting a medico-legal examination, and the diagnoses retained were dominated by acute and post-traumatic stress disorders and adjustment disorders. We also observed a high rate of interruption in medical follow-up and limited availability of information regarding legal outcomes for children in need of psychiatric care.

Conclusion

The current study delves into a significant matter by delineating the socio-demographic and clinical profiles of children undergoing examination in child psychiatry within a medico-legal framework. Collaboration among all stakeholders is thus imperative to ensure improved management and, most importantly, the continuity of care for this specific population.