Adolescents hospitalized in adult psychiatric departments: socio-demographic features and clinical profile

Introduction Adolescence is a critical period of physical, cognitive and emotional development. Mental health among adolescents is a major public health issue. The number of teenagers requiring psychiatric care is constantly increasing and several studies have found high prevalences of psychiatric disorders in this group. Objectives The aim of the study was to describe sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of adolescents hospitalized in an adult psychiatric department. Methods We carried out a retrospective descriptive study. It included adolescent patients, aged between 16 and 19 years, who were admitted to the department G of Razi Hospital (Tunisia), between May 2019 and May 2024 (the minimum age for hospitalization in adult psychiatric wards was 16). Data were collected from patients’ files. Results Thirty-five adolescents were included. The mean age was 17.8 ± 0.8 years. A male predominance was noted with 65.7% of patients. We found that 57.1% of teenagers were using at least one psychoactive substance. Tobacco was the most used substance (54.3%), followed by cannabis (42.9%) and alcohol (40%). The most common motive for hospitalization was behavioral disturbances with 79.1% of patients. The most common psychiatric disorders were schizophrenia (32.6%) and schizophreniform disorder (18.6%). Antipsychotics were the most prescribed medication (58.13%) followed by benzodiazepines (30%). Conclusions Knowing the profile of adolescents hospitalized in psychiatry, their sociodemographic and clinical characteristics would enable us to better the care we offer to them. Disclosure of Interest None Declared