Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
Volume 192, Issue 10, 2004, Pages 658-663

A ten-year treatment outcome study of traumatized Cambodian refugees (Review)

Boehnlein J.K.* , Kinzie J.D. , Sekiya U. , Riley C. , Pou K. , Rosborough B.
  • a Intercultural Psychiatric Program, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States, Vet. Admin. Northwest Network, Mental Illness Res./Educ./Clin. Ctr., United States, Department of Psychiatry (UHN 80), Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW San Jackson Park Rd., Portland, OR 97239, United States
  • b Intercultural Psychiatric Program, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
  • c Intercultural Psychiatric Program, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
  • d Intercultural Psychiatric Program, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
  • e Intercultural Psychiatric Program, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
  • f Intercultural Psychiatric Program, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess treatment outcome among 23 severely traumatized Cambodian refugee patients with posttraumatic stress disorder who had been in continuous treatment for 10 or more years. Primary outcome parameters were symptom severity, social and vocational disability, and subjective quality of life. All patients were interviewed using standard assessment tools by a research psychiatrist not connected with the treatment, and charts were reviewed for past and current traumas and for treatment history. There was a wide range of current posttraumatic stress disorder symptom scores, but current depression scores were very low. Thirteen patients were judged to have good outcomes, and 10 had relatively poor outcomes. Reported degree of previous trauma and demographic factors did not distinguish between the two outcome groups. Sixty percent of patients greatly improved. However, even with comprehensive continuous treatment over a period of 10 or more years, a substantial minority was still impaired.

Author Keywords

Outcome Cambodian Refugees trauma

Index Keywords

rating scale depression refugee Cambodia human Longitudinal Studies Life Change Events Refugees work disability comorbidity violence Survivors Ethnic Groups group therapy middle aged health status socialization relapse psychotherapy quality of life remission Humans Treatment Outcome Severity of Illness Index male Acculturation female Review clinical article Questionnaires posttraumatic stress disorder Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic social disability disease severity Psychotropic Drugs
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-5444232077&doi=10.1097%2f01.nmd.0000142033.79043.9d&partnerID=40&md5=f0edd889f611b826ad76fbf35551c5ee
DOI: 10.1097/01.nmd.0000142033.79043.9d
ISSN: 00223018
Cited by: 38
Original Language: English