DSM-III-R Disorders in Vietnamese Refugees Prevalence and Correlates

This study's purpose was a) to determine the prevalence of DSM-III-R disorders in newly arrived ethnic Vietnamese and ethnic Chinese refugees from Vietnam and b) to determine the correlates of DSM-III-R disorders. A Vietnamese-speaking psychiatrist administered translated sections of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R to 201 Vietnamese new arrivals undergoing mandatory health screening. Overall, 18.4% had one or more current disorders: 8.5% had adjustment disorder and 5.5% had major depression. Ethnic Vietnamese, compared with ethnic Chinese, had significantly (p < .05) higher rates of current posttraumatic stress disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Ethnic differences in psychopathology were largely explained by the fact that ethnic Vietnamese refugees had experienced more traumatic events and separation from family. After adjusting for ethnicity, refugees who reported traumatic events, refugees who were married, and veterans were significantly (p < .05) more likely to have one or more psychiatric disorders.