Estimating Mental Distress in Vietnam: the Use of the SRQ-20

Lisa K. Richardson, Ananda B. Amstadter, Dean G. Kilpatrick, Mario T. Gaboury, Trinh Luong Tran, Lam Tu Trung, Nguyen Thanh Tam, Tran Tuan, La Thi Buoi, Tran Thu Ha, Tran Duc Thach and Ron Acierno
Additional contact information
Lisa K. Richardson: Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
Ananda B. Amstadter: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
Dean G. Kilpatrick: Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
Mario T. Gaboury: Department of Criminal Justice and Oskar Schindler Humanities Foundation, University of New Haven, West Haven, CT, USA
Trinh Luong Tran: Health Department of Da Nang City, Da Nang, Vietnam
Lam Tu Trung: Da Nang Mental Health Hospital, Da Nang, Vietnam
Nguyen Thanh Tam: Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, Washington, DC, USA
Tran Tuan: Research and Training Centre for Community Development, Hanoi, Vietnam
La Thi Buoi: Research and Training Centre for Community Development, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tran Thu Ha: Research and Training Centre for Community Development, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tran Duc Thach: Research and Training Centre for Community Development, Hanoi, Vietnam
Ron Acierno: Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Centre, Charleston, SC, USA, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA, acierno@musc.edu

International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 2010, vol. 56, issue 2, 133-142

Abstract: Background: Community-based estimates of psychopathology prevalence in developing countries such as Vietnam, are needed to reduce presumed significant burden of poor mental health. Aims: This study derived population-based prevalence estimates of mental distress, as measured by the SRQ-20, in a community sample of 4,981 adults living in Vietnam. This study also examined correlates of mental distress based on SRQ-20 caseness indications. Risk and protective factors were identified in terms of their unique contribution to caseness. Results: Using a cut-off of 7/8, 19.2% of the sample was considered to be a probable case ( n = 954), with females endorsing more items than males. Marital status and employment status were not associated with mental health distress. Higher wealth, endorsing religious affi liation, and self-reports of good health were associated with lower SRQ-20 scores. Age and being female were associated with higher SRQ-20 scores. Conclusions: A single item was as adequate a measure of wealth as multi-item rating scales. Our estimate of mental distress using the SRQ-20 is much greater than that of other studies, and in contrast to western prevalence studies, age was not a protective factor in this study. The SRQ-20 is a brief, cost-effective and reasonably valid measure of both community and individual mental distress.

Keywords: community estimate; mental distress; mental health; Self Reporting Questionnaire 20; SRQ-20; Vietnam (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:56:y:2010:i:2:p:133-142

DOI: 10.1177/0020764008099554

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