Vietnamese Refugees and the Mental Health Disparity

Due to impact of war, subsequent events that lead to multiple waves of migration, and the refugees experience, Vietnamese people have become an at risk group for mental health problems. As a result of cultural differences, mental health has been a taboo topic on the backburner among many Vietnamese American families. To date, limited research is available on the current state of mental health among Vietnamese Americans. The proposed presentation aims to: 1) Present essential findings from the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys on mental health disparity among Vietnamese Americans; 2) address the Vietnamese's traditional beliefs about mental illnesses; 3) stimulate dialogues among participants on bridging the gap between mental health and Vietnamese Americans; and 4) to equip the audience with proven tools (STEP Model) to implement change within their communities.

Secondary data from the National Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Study were examined. Computer-assisted personal interview responses from a total sample of 520 Vietnamese Americans throughout US were extracted for analysis. Descriptive statistics suggest that Vietnamese Americans are at alarming risk for panic attack and major depression when compared to other ethnic groups, approximately 15% of the population are below “good” mental health rating, there is no significance relationship between education and years in US to help seeking behaviors, close to 90% of the sample are uncomfortable communicating to care providers in a non-native language, and additional findings to be discussed that can shed new lights to Vietnamese American's help-seeking behavior. Cultural implication and suggestion for future research will be discussed.