Abazie, OCEnyidah, NSStanley, P.2024-11-302024-11-302023-08Abazie OC, Enyidah NS, Stanley P. . Valproic Acid Syndrome: A Mini Review. International Neuropsychiatric Disease Journal. 2023 Aug; 20(3): 1-82321-7235https://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/235583Background: Epilepsy affects over 50 million in the world with a life time prevalence of 7.6%. It is the commonest paediatric neurological disorder and about 80% of these children live in the developing countries. Depression is the most common psychiatric comorbid condition in children with epilepsy. Objective: To investigate the prevalence of depression among children aged 9-18yr with epilepsy and evaluate factors associated with depression. Methods: 380 children with epilepsy were interviewed using researcher designed questionnaire, the clinical version of DICA-IV in a 2nd stage design, after having been screened with CES-DC. The study was descriptive with psychometric evaluation. Data obtained were analysed using SPSS version 22.0. p-values<0.05 were statistically significant. Results: Using the CES-DC with a cut- off point of 15 and above, 117 (30.8%) of the respondents had significant scores for depression. All the 117 who were interviewed with DICA-IV met the DSM-IV criteria for major depression with 40 (10.5%) of them currently very depressed requiring urgent attention. Sociodemographic factors of; sex revealed that males were more depressed than females p=0.000, OR: 0.86, Age showed 9-11yr with a strong association p=0.001, OR:1.91. Marital status- Divorced or separated parents showed a higher association p=0.01 OR:2.233. Children with longer duration of illness had a strong association p=0,025, OR:1.203 and the more frequent the seizures, the stronger the association p=0.001, OR:1,411. Conclusion: There is relativelhjy high prevalence of depression in children with epilepsy in Port Harcourt. More health education is needed to provide a comprehensive care.EpilepsypaediatricsCES-DCDICA-IVsociodemographic factorsJournal ArticleIndiaDepartment of Mental Health/Psychiatry, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Port Harcourt, Rivers State, NigeriaDepartment of Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, NigeriaDepartment of Mental Health/Psychiatry, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria