Depressive symptoms in children with chronic gastrointestinal disorders

Background Children with chronic illness may have depressive symptoms. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms among children attending a pediatric gastroenterology outpatient clinic in Malaysia, and whether it differed by age, gender and diagnosis. Methods This was a cross‐sectional study, with data collected over a 16 month period (April 2010–July 2011). Patients aged 7–17 years on follow up at the pediatric gastroenterology clinic at University Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, were recruited consecutively. They were classified into high, average and low scores based on responses to questions in the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI; high, T‐score >55; average, T‐score 45–55; low, T‐score