Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
Volume 111, Issue 4, 2005, Pages 300-309

Mental disorders, disability and health service use amongst Vietnamese refugees and the host Australian population (Article)

Steel Z.* , Silove D. , Chey T. , Bauman A. , Phan T.
  • a Ctr. for Pop. Mental Health Research, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia, Ctr. for Pop. Mental Health Research, Health Services Building, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool, NSW 2170, Australia
  • b Ctr. for Pop. Mental Health Research, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • c Epidemiology Unit, S. W. Sydney Area Health Service, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • d School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • e Faculty of Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia; Faculty of Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia

Abstract

Objective: To compare the prevalence of common mental disorders, disability and health service utilization amongst Vietnamese refugees resettled in Australia for 11 years, with data obtained from a national survey of the host population. Method: A stratified multistage probability household survey of 1611 Vietnamese undertaken in the state of New South Wales was compared with data from 7961 Australian-born respondents. Measures included the CIDI 2.1 and the MOS SF-12. Results: The 12-month prevalence of anxiety, depression and drug and alcohol dependence amongst Vietnamese was 6.1% compared with 16.7% amongst Australians. Vietnamese with a mental illness reported higher disability but exhibited similar levels of mental health consultation. The overall service burden of mental disorders was lower for the Vietnamese. Conclusion: The findings suggest that refugee groups resettled for some time in Western countries may show sound mental health adaptation and do not necessarily impose a burden on general or mental health services.

Author Keywords

Mental disorders Cross-cultural comparison Epidemiology mental health services

Index Keywords

anxiety Vietnam depression refugee Mentally Disabled Persons Australia mental health human Refugees middle aged Asian continental ancestry group health service controlled study priority journal Aged Health Surveys alcoholism drug dependence Mental Health Services Mental Disorders mental disease Humans Adolescent male female Viet Nam Referral and Consultation prevalence Article major clinical study adult Utilization Review disability Disability Evaluation Reference Values
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-15944391402&doi=10.1111%2fj.1600-0447.2004.00458.x&partnerID=40&md5=c616e440ae14fb89a464de877d4e3e88
DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2004.00458.x
ISSN: 0001690X
Cited by: 61
Original Language: English