Tuyển tập các nghiên cứu khoa học của trường đại học Huế đề tài: Khả năng tiếp cận dịch vụ chăm sóc sức khỏe tâm thần và nhận thức về sức khỏe tâm thần ở Thừa Thiên Huế, Việt Nam. | JOURNAL OF SCIENCE Hue University N0 61 2010 ACCESSIBILITY TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND PERCEPTIONS OF MENTAL HEALTH IN THUA THIEN HUE PROVINCE VIETNAM Lia van der Ham Jacqueline Broerse Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Vo Van Thang College of Medicine and Pharmacy Hue University Pamela Wright Medical Committee Netherlands Vietnam SUMMARY This study assesses perceptions of mental health and mental health care in Vietnam through explorative research among adults in four quarters of Hue city in Central Vietnam. Methods included questionnaires 200 and focus group discussions eight . Respondents were often unable to name specific mental illnesses but recognised more when suggested. The most frequently mentioned symptoms of mental illness were talking nonsense talking laughing alone and wandering. Pressure stress and studying thinking too much were often identified causes of mental illness. Most respondents showed a preference for medical treatment options often in combination with family care. Important obstacles for relatives of mentally ill people were a lack of drugs and financial resources and the burden of providing care at home. The results revealed a need for educational and awareness programs on mental health so that people are better able to understand mental illness and seek help when they need it. Keywords mental health mental health care perceptions help-seeking behavior 1. Inroduction Mental disorders affect one out of four people during their lives changing the functioning and thinking processes of the individual and often greatly reducing his social role and productivity in the community. Because mental illnesses are disabling and may last for many years they also place a huge burden on the emotional and socioeconomic capacity of the family members who care for the patient WHO 2001 . The global burden of disease of mental illness is high and is expected to rise Mathers Loncar 2006 . At present anxiety and mood disorders are the most common mental problems .
