Physical long-term health problems and mental comorbidity: evidence from Vietnam

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Child Psychiatry
• Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

• Child mental health in low-income countries is under-researched despite significant disease burden.
• Long-term physical health problems in children are often overlooked in relation to mental well-being.
• Understanding these associations is crucial for developing targeted interventions in resource-limited settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the impact of long-term physical health problems on mental health disorders in Vietnamese children.
• To investigate potential modifications of this association by family socio-economic status.
• To address the neglected area of child mental health in low-income countries.

Main Methods:

• A community-based cross-sectional survey of 975 eight-year-old children in Vietnam.
• Physical health problems assessed via caregiver report (e.g., anaemia, congenital malformations, disabilities).
• Mental disorders evaluated using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ); generalized estimating equations used for analysis.

Main Results:

• Children with long-term physical health problems had a twofold increased odds of mental disorders (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.2-3.6, p=0.006).
• No significant interaction was found between physical health problems and socio-economic status.
• A substantial burden of mental disorders was observed in physically ill children.

Conclusions:

• A strong association exists between long-term physical illness and mental disorders in Vietnamese children.
• The findings underscore the interconnectedness of physical and mental health, emphasizing "no health without mental health."
• Children with chronic health conditions represent a key group for focused mental health support and interventions.