Victimisation, poly-victimisation and health-related quality of life among high school students in Vietnam: a cross-sectional survey.
BACKGROUND
In high and upper-middle income countries poly-victimisation (exposure to multiple forms of victimisation) is associated with worse health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among adolescents. There is a lack of empirical evidence about these associations from low- and lower-middle income countries. The aims of this study were to examine the associations between exposure to 1) individual forms of victimisation and 2) poly-victimisation and the HRQoL of adolescents in Vietnam.


METHODS
A cross-sectional, anonymously-completed survey of high school students in Hanoi, Vietnam. Lifetime exposure to eight individual forms of victimisation and poly-victimisation were assessed using the Juvenile Victimisation Questionnaire Revised-2 (JVQ R2). Health-related quality of life was assessed using the Duke Health Profile Adolescent Version (DHP-A). Bi-variate analyses and multiple linear regressions were conducted to assess the associations between individual forms of victimisation, poly-victimisation and HRQoL among girls and boys.


RESULTS
In total 1616/1745 students (92.6 %) completed the questionnaire. Adolescent girls had significantly worse HRQoL than boys in all domains, except disability. Different forms of victimisation were associated with different HRQoL domains among girls and boys. Cyber victimisation was the most detrimental to girls' HRQoL while for boys maltreatment was the most detrimental. Experiences of poly-victimisation were associated with worse HRQoL in physical, mental, social and general health, lower levels of self-esteem and increased levels of anxiety, depression and pain domains among both sexes.


CONCLUSIONS
Among Vietnamese adolescents, experiences of individual forms of victimisation were associated with poorer HRQoL in specific domains; the most detrimental forms of victimisation varied for girls and boys. However, it was experiences of poly-victimisation that had the most detrimental impacts on the HRQoL of both sexes. Recognition of violence, including poly-victimisation, is still low in Vietnam. These data indicate that community education, prevention and early intervention programs to reduce violent victimisation and assist adolescents who have experienced it, with attention to gender differences, are needed in Vietnam.
Jean Hailes Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 6th Floor, the Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia. minh.thi.le@monash.edu.
Minh T H
MT
Le
Jean Hailes Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 6th Floor, the Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
Sara
S
Holton
Faculty of Social Sciences, Behaviours and Health Education, Hanoi School of Public Health, 138 Giang Vo street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Huong T
HT
Nguyen
Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Level 6, the Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
Rory
R
Wolfe
Jean Hailes Research Unit, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 6th Floor, the Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
Jane
J
Fisher
D000293:Adolescent; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014744:Vietnam; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*
Adolescents; Health-related quality of life; Lower-middle income countries; Poly-victimisation; Violence