Aim: To explore the psychopathology of foreign domestic workers (FDWs) who had an acute psychiatric disorder in Hong Kong. Method: This was a retrospective chart review. Demographic and clinical data were extracted from case records of FDWs who were admitted for the first time as inpatients for psychiatric treatment to three regional hospitals of the same catchment area in Hong Kong between 2000 and 2004. Relevant socio-demographic data on local FDWs and the general population of Hong Kong were obtained from local government departments. Results: Twenty-seven Filipino and 14 Indonesian FDWs presenting with their first and so far only psychiatric admission were identified. There were significantly more FDWs who were single or never married in the sample. Filipino FDWs tended to fall ill after 4 years of service in Hong Kong while the corresponding figure for Indonesian FDWs was 2 years. Indonesian FDWs were older and had less access to social and medical services than their Filipino counterparts. Home sickness and marital problems were more commonly identified as stressors rather than workrelated difficulties. Acute and Transient Psychotic Disorder (ICD-10) was diagnosed in over 60% of the subjects, making FDWs two times more vulnerable than local women of similar age for this illness. Conclusions: FDWs constitute a vulnerable group in terms of psychiatricmorbidity. Concerted political, social and psychological efforts would be require to alleviate the distress faced by this particularly disadvantaged subset of female expatriates. © 2009 SAGE Publications.

Mental health Acute and Transient Psychotic Disorder Hong Kong Foreign domestic workers

Needs Assessment Vulnerable Populations Filipino dissociative disorder Indonesian human Developing Countries Life Change Events ethnic group mental stress controlled study acute disease transient polymorphic disorder Mental Disorders family conflict Cross-Sectional Studies mental disease Young Adult foreign worker marriage Humans ethnic difference female Psychotic Disorders risk factor Risk Factors Review nostalgia Indonesia pilot study Behavior Retrospective Studies behavior disorder major clinical study adult acute stress disorder Age Factors Patient Admission Hong Kong Loneliness occupational health Transients and Migrants Philippines Pilot Projects Health Services Accessibility