Reliability and Validity of the Vietnamese Depression Interview (VDI)

Current instruments used to aid in the diagnosis of psychological disorders have limited effectiveness with clients from Asian backgrounds. The Vietnamese Depression Interview (VDI) is a diagnostic instrument created to assess the presence of current and lifetime history of major depressive disorder specifically among Vietnamese refugees and immigrants. The purpose of the present study is to provide a description of the VDI, while also noting it as a reliable and valid means by which to assess depression in Vietnamese individuals. Using the Longitudinal, Expert, and All Data (LEAD; Spitzer in Compr Psychiatry 24:399-411, 1983) standard and the VDI, experienced clinicians conducted the diagnosis process with 127 Vietnamese refugees and immigrants. Assessment of the reliability and validity of the VDI yielded good to excellent AUC and kappa values, indicating the reliability of the VDI and the agreement between the LEAD procedure and the VDI. These study results imply that the VDI performs successfully as a diagnostic instrument specifically created for Vietnamese refugees and immigrants in their native language. Current and future contributions of the VDI with Vietnamese individuals are discussed.

Silica supported copper nanoparticles prepared via surface organometallic chemistry: active catalysts for the selective hydrogenation of 2,3-dimethylbutadiene

Mesitylcopper reacts with silica to give supported clusters, then reduced to nanoparticles. These catalysts allow the selective hydrogenation of 2,3-dimethylbutadiene to 2,3-dimethyl-1-butene. Materials were characterized in detail.

Development, reliability, and validity of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Interview for Vietnamese refugees: a diagnostic instrument for Vietnamese refugees

The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Interview for Vietnamese Refugees (PTSD-IVR) was created specifically to assess for the presence of current and lifetime history of premigration, migration, encampment, and postmigration traumas in Vietnamese refugees. The purpose of the present study was to describe the development of and investigate the interrater and test-retest reliability of the PTSD-IVR and its validity in relation to the diagnoses obtained from the Longitudinal, Expert, and All Data (LEAD; Spitzer, 1983) standard. Clinicians conducted the diagnosis process with 127 Vietnamese refugees using the LEAD standard and the PTSD-IVR. Assessment of the reliability and validity of the PTSD-IVR yielded good to excellent AUC (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve; .86, .87) and κ values (.66, .74) indicating the reliability of the PTSD-IVR and the agreement between the LEAD procedure and the PTSD-IVR. The results of the present study suggest that the PTSD-IVR performs successfully as a diagnostic instrument specifically created for Vietnamese refugees in their native language.

Children in food-insufficient, low-income families: prevalence, health, and nutrition status

OBJECTIVE

To examine characteristics of US children living in food-insufficient households and to compare food and nutrient intakes, physical inactivity, and overweight and underweight status of children in food-insufficient households with those in food-sufficient households.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional, nationally representative sample of children and households from the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals, from 1994 to 1996.

PARTICIPANTS

A group of 3790 households, including 5669 children (ages 0-17 years).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Estimates of food insufficiency for children were based on the reported adequacy of their households, described as "often don't have enough to eat" or "sometimes don't have enough to eat." Nutrient consumption was based on two 24-hour dietary recalls from in-person interviews.

RESULTS

Three percent of all households with children, and 7.5% of low-income families with children experienced food insufficiency. Several demographic and characteristic differences were observed between the food-sufficient and food-insufficient low-income groups. Children of low-income families, either food-sufficient or food-insufficient, had similar macronutrient and micronutrient intake, reported exercise, television watching, and percentage of overweight and underweight. When compared with the higher-income food-sufficient households, children in the low-income food-insufficient households consumed fewer calories (P =.05) and total carbohydrates (P =.004), but had a higher cholesterol intake (P =.02). The low-income food-insufficient group included more overweight children (P =.04), consumed less fruits (P =.04), and spent more time watching television (P =.02).

CONCLUSIONS

While not different from low-income families who do not report food insufficiency, low-income families with food insufficiency had children who differed from high-income families in several nutrition and anthropometric measures. Clinicians should be aware of the possible effects of poverty and lack of access to food on child health and nutrition status. The long-term effects of these are not yet known.