WHO / Yoshi Shimizu
A WHO field staff talks to a woman fetching water from a water catchment tank in Kiribati.

Mental health in Viet Nam

Mental health is the foundation for the well-being and effective functioning of individuals. It is more than the absence of a mental disorder; it is the ability to think, learn, and understand one's emotions and the reactions of others. Mental health is a state of balance, both within and with the environment. Physical, psychological, social, cultural, spiritual and other interrelated factors participate in producing this balance. There are inseparable links between mental and physical health.

More than 100 million people suffer from mental health disorders in the Western Pacific Region. Depressive disorders alone are responsible for 5.73% of the disease burden in here.

In Viet Nam, according to the National Mental Hospital, the prevalence of 10 common mental disorders in 2014 was 14.2%, 2.45% of which were depressive disorders. The rate of suicide in 2015 was 5.87 per 100 000 population. Currently, WHO Viet Nam supports the government in developing a model of integration of mental health into general health focusing on primary healthcare.

Characteristics of mental disorders

There are many different mental disorders, with different presentations. They are generally characterized by a combination of abnormal thoughts, perceptions, emotions, behaviour and relationships with others.

Mental disorder types

Mental disorders include depression, bipolar affective disorder, schizophrenia and other psychoses, dementia, intellectual disabilities and developmental disorders including autism.

Preventing mental disorders

There are effective strategies for preventing mental disorders, such as depression. There are also effective treatments for mental disorders and ways to alleviate the suffering caused by them. Access to health care and social services capable of providing treatment and social support is key.”

Suicide

Close to 800 000 people die due to suicide every year. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds. Seventy-nine percent (79%) of global suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries.