Análisis de las diferencias en la atención a la salud mental del niño y adolescente en España a través de los Planes Estratégicos de Salud Mental Autonómicos

Background: Child Psychiatry is a relatively recent specialty. It is an important field of work because the data show that the prevalence rate of Mental Disorders in children and adolescents is between 15 and 20 % of the infantile-juvenile population worldwide, and that 80 % of the Mental Disorders in adults began before the age of 18. Throughout Spain, assistance can be offered to children and adolescents, although it is not standardised in all the Autonomous Communities (CCAA). In addition, Spain is one of only two countries in the European Union that does not have the specialty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. As there is currently no specialty of its own, the nature of the care offered will depend on the particular training of each professional. Objective: To analyse the situation of mental health care for children and adolescents in Spain through the Autonomous Mental Health Strategic Plans. Methods: The strategic lines of the 17 Strategic Mental Health Plans of all the Autonomous Communities were analysed. Results: Inequalities were found in the validity and updating of these plans, as well as in the structure and supply of assistance and training resources. Conclusion: Today, the specificity of mental health care for children and adolescents is distributed unequally in Spain, depending on the Autonomous Community in which the child or adolescent resides.Keywords: mental health, child, adolescent psychiatry, attention, disparities in health status.