Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40561108›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

Mental health disorders among children with special health needs: A population-based cohort study using linked administrative data from Manitoba, Canada.

Jennifer E Enns, Caroline Reid-Westoby, Gilles R Detillieux, Marni Brownell, Nathan C Nickel, Anne Gadermann, Astrid Guttmann, Teresa Bennett, Eric Duku, Barry Forer and 6 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Jennifer E EnnsManitoba Centre for Health Policy, Department of Community Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-7805-7582
Caroline Reid-WestobyOfford Centre for Child Studies, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Gilles R DetillieuxManitoba Centre for Health Policy, Department of Community Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Marni BrownellManitoba Centre for Health Policy, Department of Community Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-7673-4404
Nathan C NickelManitoba Centre for Health Policy, Department of Community Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Anne GadermannHuman Early Learning Partnership, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Astrid GuttmannThe Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Teresa BennettOfford Centre for Child Studies, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-0047-501X
Eric DukuOfford Centre for Child Studies, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Barry ForerHuman Early Learning Partnership, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Monique Gagné PetteniHuman Early Learning Partnership, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Katholiki GeorgiadesOfford Centre for Child Studies, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Martin GuhnHuman Early Learning Partnership, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Ana Hanlon-DearmanDepartment of Pediatrics and Child Health, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Brenda T PoonHuman Early Learning Partnership, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Magdalena JanusOfford Centre for Child Studies, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveAn estimated 15-22% of Canadian kindergarten-age children have a special health need (SHN), defined as a clinical diagnosis, a functional need requiring special accommodation at school, or a health condition leading to increased needs. Children with SHN may be more likely to experience mental health disorders than their peers without SHN, placing them at risk for further health and academic challenges. Our objective was to determine the odds of children with SHN identified in kindergarten being diagnosed with a mental health disorder by age 16.

methodsIn this retrospective cohort study using population-based, linked administrative data, we identified children with SHN born 1995-2020 in Manitoba, Canada, and enrolled in kindergarten from 2006-2011. The SHN designation is derived from the Early Development Instrument. We measured prevalence of common childhood mental health disorders (ADHD, mood/anxiety disorders, conduct disorders) in children with SHN to age 16. Using binary logistic regressions, we calculated crude odds ratios (OR) for children with vs. without SHN being diagnosed with a mental health disorder, then adjusted for age, sex, and neighbourhood-level income.

resultsAmong 42,766 children, 13.8% had a SHN designation in kindergarten. Among these, 41.0% were diagnosed with a mental health disorder by age 16. The odds of a mental health diagnosis by SHN category were: special needs designation in kindergarten (OR 1.75, 95%CI 1.53-2.01); learning impairment (OR 1.61, 95%CI 1.39-1.86); behavioural impairment (OR 3.27, 95%CI 2.87-3.72); and emotional impairment (OR 2.01, 95%CI 1.75-2.32). Children with SHN (vs. none) had higher odds of a mental health disorder if they had 1 + impairment (OR 1.67, 95%CI 1.50-1.85). Adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics did not change the estimates.

conclusionsThe study highlights important kindergarten predictors of future mental health disorders in children, which should be used to inform preventive and supportive strategies for children with SHN and help generate wider mental health supports in schools.

Indexed as

Children with DisabilitiesMental DisordersAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolCohort StudiesFemaleHumansMaleManitobaMental HealthPrevalenceRetrospective Studies

Identifiers

PMID40561108
PMCPMC12194185

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.