American Journal of Psychiatry
Volume 137, Issue 11, 1980, Pages 1429-1432

An Indochinese refugee psychiatric clinic: culturally accepted treatment approaches (Article)

Kinzie J.D. , Tran K.A. , Breckenridge A. , Bloom J.D.
  • a Dept. Psychiat., Univ. Oregon Hlth Sci. Cent., Portland, Ore. 97201, United States
  • b Dept. Psychiat., Univ. Oregon Hlth Sci. Cent., Portland, Ore. 97201, United States
  • c Dept. Psychiat., Univ. Oregon Hlth Sci. Cent., Portland, Ore. 97201, United States
  • d Dept. Psychiat., Univ. Oregon Hlth Sci. Cent., Portland, Ore. 97201, United States

Abstract

In 1978 the authors established a weekly psychiatric clinic for Indochinese refugees. During the first 20 months, 50 patients were evaluated and treated at the clinic; a Vietnamese psychiatric resident and several native Indochinese mental health counselors bridged the language and cultural barriers between patients and clinic personnel. Most of the patients seen at the beginning of the program were psychotic and severely impaired. However, patients seen later suffered from a wider variety of problems. A flexible approach to treatment was adopted that would be compatible with the cultural expectations of the refugees. This resulted in the use of different forms of therapy and special emphasis on the medical approach of the physician, a role familiar to Indochinese patients. Gradually the clinic gained acceptance by members of the local refugee community.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

cultural anthropology central nervous system ethnic or racial aspects geographic distribution language therapy mental health major clinical study migration psychosis
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0018964795&doi=10.1176%2fajp.137.11.1429&partnerID=40&md5=8238c9a39c89243cbfd2e01ee608a80d
DOI: 10.1176/ajp.137.11.1429
ISSN: 0002953X
Cited by: 83
Original Language: English