Chronic posttraumatic stress disorder in Vietnamese refugees. A prospective community study of prevalence, course, psychopathology, and stressors.
A community cohort of 145 Vietnamese boat refugees in Norway was prospectively studied for presence of chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after resettlement. Ten percent had PTSD on arrival and/or after 3 years. This group had been exposed to significantly more traumatic stress before their escape (e.g., reeducation camps, combat, and other war incidents) and had more psychopathology (SCL-90-R Global Assessment Scale) after resettlement. A logistic regression analysis indicated that different types of traumatic stress had an independent relationship with chronic PTSD. Nine SCL-90-R items discriminated between the PTSD group and the rest both on arrival and follow-up. These were not anxiety items, but related to interpersonal sensitivity, somatization, and aggression. The inclusion of additional diagnostic features in the criteria for chronic PTSD is indicated.
Hauff
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E
Psychosocial Centre for Refugees, University of Oslo, Norway.
Vaglum
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P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D010555:Personality Inventory; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014744:Vietnam / Q000208:ethnology