Evaluating the Gap of Integrated Behavioral Health Programs for NCDs in China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand

Abstract

The rates of non-communicable diseases (NCD’s) such as diabetes and hypertension are reaching epidemic proportions in Asia. Behavioral conditions are frequently comorbid with NCD’s, contribute to poor clinical outcomes, and are under detected and untreated in many Asian nations. This article reports the findings of a study examining the level of behavioral and non-behavioral care integration in clinics and hospitals in China, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand. It assessed providers’ ratings of patients’ prevalence of behavioral conditions, the need for behavioral health consultants, and patients’ self-reported health risk assessments (HRA) of their lifestyle and behavioral problems. The results show low levels of available behavioral care in the participating Asian countries in comparison with the United States. The HRA results showed high rates of patients’ reported tobacco use, high-risk levels for alcohol use in men, and low levels of healthy foods intake and physical activity for men and women. The provider survey results showed moderate perceived prevalence of lifestyle and behavioral conditions and moderate perceived need for integrated behavioral care. These results suggest a need to develop and evaluate integrated healthcare services in Asia in order to address the epidemic of NCD’s.