Prevalence of psychiatric disorders among children and adolescents in Nigeria since 2010: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Abstract Background Psychiatric disorders significantly impact pediatric populations globally, affecting individual development, education and societal integration. In Nigeria, where nearly half of the population is under the age of 15, there remains a substantial gap in our understanding of the burden of these disorders within this demographic. This systematic review was conducted to quantify the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among Nigerian children and adolescents in clinical and community settings. Methods We identified and examined original research articles available in PUBMED/Medline, EMBASE, and AJOL from January 2010 to August 2024, and selected studies that evaluated the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among children and adolescents (<18 y) in Nigeria. We pooled the prevalence estimates across different study settings using random effects models We assessed the risk of bias using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool and the certainty of the evidence using the GRADE framework. Results The meta-analysis included data from 27 studies with a total population of 47,451 participants. The best evidence of the prevalence was 12% for major depression (95% CI: 5.3, 25.0; I 2 = 99.5%; seven studies; 14,534 children and adolescents; very low certainty), and 9.2% for generalized anxiety disorder (95% CI: 4.5, 17.9; I 2 = 95.9%; five studies among 2,395 individuals; very low certainty). Meta-regression indicated that the prevalence of major depression was related to age among children ( p- heterogeneity = 0.0004). The pooled prevalence of ADHD among primary school pupils was 2.8% (95% CI: 2.0, 3.8%; I² = 0%; two studies; 1,374 individuals). Overall, the pooled prevalence estimates of psychiatric disorders among Nigerian pediatric populations indicated considerable heterogeneity across most studies (I² > 75%). The most common psychiatric disorders across the different settings were major depression among children and adolescents attending primary care (prevalence = 7.6%; 95% CI: 1.0; 40.5; three studies; 1,278 individuals), separation anxiety disorder among primary school children (prevalence = 14%; 95% CI: 9.5, 19.6; one study; 200 pupils), and behavioral disorders among secondary school students (prevalence = 15.1%; 95% CI: 14.4, 15.8; one study; 9,450 adolescents). Conclusion The prevalence of psychiatric disorders among Nigerian children and adolescents is substantial, underscoring the critical need for enhanced mental health services.