10th October is World Mental Health Day.
This year’s official theme, “It’s Time to Prioritise Mental Health in the Workplace,” once again emphasised the importance of mental health in professional settings. The global campaign aimed to advocate for improved mental healthcare systems and procedures in workplaces, ensuring employees feel their mental health is prioritised, protected, and promoted.(1)
Since 2016, OUCRU’s Public and Community Engagement (PCE) group has focused on supporting mental healthcare strategies and practical initiatives for healthcare workers. This focus came after alarming research findings by Dr Pham Ngoc Thanh and the PCE group at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases (HTD) revealed that 28% of healthcare workers had moderate to severe depression, and 38% had moderate to severe anxiety.
During health crises, the psychological challenges faced by healthcare workers are often overlooked.
In September 2024, Vietnam was hit by Yagi, the strongest typhoon in 30 years. As of September 27th, Yagi had directly and indirectly caused 334 deaths and missing persons, with 1,976 people injured and suffering from post-traumatic psychological effects.(2)
Research by Mao et al. in 2018 found that witnessing firsthand destruction and loss of life in natural disasters and health crises can be traumatic. Among affected communities, the psychological challenges faced by healthcare workers—especially those involved in rescue efforts or stationed in affected areas—often go unnoticed.(3)
Supporting healthcare workers in health settings and research is one of the important focus of OUCRU’s PCE group’s activities.
In line with the global theme and in partnership with the HTD, Vietnam Psychotherapy Association (VnPA), and Medisetter, OUCRU’s PCE group co-organised a webinar focuses on providing psychological first aid, raising awareness about mental health during and after disasters, and discussing strategies for mental health preparedness in future crises. It also offered practical coping methods for healthcare workers and researchers in affected areas.
The webinar attracted almost 250 participants from several sectors, including healthcare workers, psychological professionals and students, and social workers.
The discussions at the webinar were be led by 3 esteemed speakers:
- Dr. Pham Ngoc Thanh, Psychological Advisor at OUCRU, led the discussion on psychological first aid for healthcare workers and researchers during and after disasters, as well as preparation for future crises.
- Dr. Lam Tu Trung, Vice Head of VnPA, highlighted the practical aspects of applying mental health support in healthcare settings and suggested strategies to address potential challenges.
- Ms. Nguyen Thi Le Hong, Head of Social Work Division at HTD, focused on the actual mental healthcare needs of healthcare workers and discussed initiatives her hospital has implemented to support them.
The webinar was conducted online via Zoom and livestreamed on YouTube. [Full recorded video will be available soon].
Reference:
- https://wmhdofficial.com/
- https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/environment/yagi-s-devastation-and-aftermath-a-recap-of-vietnam-s-biggest-disaster-in-decades-4796969.html
- https://academic.oup.com/annweh/article/67/8/1018/7226980
