Outreach strategies for mental health promotion: The role of ethnic media among Vietnamese communities in the U.S

Studies show that Vietnamese families are at high risk for developing mental health disorders due to multiple risk factors such as trauma, acculturative stress, and intergenerational conflict. However, as a culturally taboo subject, the extent and severity of mental health has not yet been fully understood, resulting in a significant discrepancy between the prevalence of mental illness and the utilization of mental health services in the Vietnamese population.

To fill this gap, Project Tam An (Inner Peace in Vietnamese) was implemented to raise mental health awareness by engaging community resources in the Vietnamese population of northern California. Through local ethnic media sources, messages to destigmatize mental health and promote the interest, ability, and willingness to initiate mental health treatment were aired in weekly radio broadcasts and regularly published in newspaper columns.

Informed by the nine stages of the Community Readiness Model, this pilot study was conducted to assess the initial effectiveness of Tam An. The preliminary finding suggests that Tam An significantly improved the stage of readiness in the Vietnamese community to support mental health promotion from level 3 (vague awareness) to level 6 (initiation), indicating an increased interest and willingness to seek mental health services. This confirms the program's desired outcome and acknowledges that outreach efforts must be conceived from models that are community specific and culturally relevant. The study provides implications for understanding effective ways to engage communities and continue mobilizing and sustaining community support for mental health promotion.