Ethnomedical Pathogenesis and Hmong Immigrants' Sudden Nocturnal Deaths

Overview

Journal Cult Med Psychiatry

Specialty Social Sciences

Date 1994 Mar 1

PMID 8082318

Citations 3

Authors

S R Adler

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Scores of seemingly healthy Hmong immigrants have died mysteriously and without warning from what has come to be known as Sudden Unexpected Nocturnal Death Syndrome (SUNDS). To date medical research has provided no adequate explanation for these sudden deaths. This study is an investigation into the role of powerful traditional beliefs in illness causation. In Stockton, California, 118 Hmong men and women were interviewed regarding their awareness of and personal experience with a traditional nocturnal spirit encounter. An analysis of this data reveals that the supranormal encounter acts as a trigger for Hmong SUNDS.

Citing Articles

Resignation Syndrome: Catatonia? Culture-Bound?.

Sallin K, Lagercrantz H, Evers K, Engstrom I, Hjern A, Petrovic P Front Behav Neurosci. 2016; 10:7.

PMID: 26858615 PMC: 4731541. DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00007.

Unique sleep disorders profile of a population-based sample of 747 Hmong immigrants in Wisconsin.

Young E, Xiong S, Finn L, Young T Soc Sci Med. 2012; 79:57-65.

PMID: 22832325 PMC: 3616878. DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.06.009.

A household survey of older Iu-Mien refugees in rural California.

Barker J, Saechao K J Cross Cult Gerontol. 1997; 12(2):121-43.

PMID: 14617932 DOI: 10.1023/a:1006534300043.

References

Tatsanavivat P, Chiravatkul A, Klungboonkrong V, Chaisiri S, Jarerntanyaruk L, Munger R . Sudden and unexplained deaths in sleep (Laitai) of young men in rural northeastern Thailand. Int J Epidemiol. 1992; 21(5):904-10. DOI: 10.1093/ije/21.5.904. View

. Update: sudden unexplained death syndrome among southeast Asian refugees--United States. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1988; 37(37):568-70. View

PARRISH R, Tucker M, Ing R, Encarnacion C, Eberhardt M . Sudden unexplained death syndrome in Southeast Asian refugees: a review of CDC surveillance. MMWR CDC Surveill Summ. 1987; 36(1):43SS-53SS. View

Tobin J, Friedman J . Spirits, shamans, and nightmare death: survivor stress in a Hmong refugee. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 1983; 53(3):439-48. DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-0025.1983.tb03388.x. View

Brodsky M, Sato D, ISERI L, Wolff L, Allen B . Ventricular tachyarrhythmia associated with psychological stress. The role of the sympathetic nervous system. JAMA. 1987; 257(15):2064-7. View

Ness R . The Old Hag phenomenon as sleep paralysis: a biocultural interpretation. Cult Med Psychiatry. 1978; 2(1):15-39. DOI: 10.1007/BF00052448. View

Muecke M . In search of healers--Southeast Asian refugees in the American health care system. West J Med. 1983; 139(6):835-40. PMC: 1011013. View

Cannon W . "Voodoo" death. American Anthropologist, 1942;44(new series):169-181. Am J Public Health. 2002; 92(10):1593-6; discussion 1594-5. PMC: 1447285. DOI: 10.2105/ajph.92.10.1593. View

Takeuchi T, Miyasita A, Sasaki Y, Inugami M, Fukuda K . Isolated sleep paralysis elicited by sleep interruption. Sleep. 1992; 15(3):217-25. DOI: 10.1093/sleep/15.3.217. View

10.

LOWN B, Verrier R, Corbalan R . Psychologic stress and threshold for repetitive ventricular response. Science. 1973; 182(4114):834-6. DOI: 10.1126/science.182.4114.834. View

11.

Westermeyer J . A matched pairs study of depression among Hmong refugees with particular reference to predisposing factors and treatment outcome. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 1988; 23(1):64-71. DOI: 10.1007/BF01788445. View

12.

. Sudden, unexpected, nocturnal deaths among Southeast Asian refugees. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1981; 30(47):581-4, 589. View

13.

Engel G . Sudden and rapid death during psychological stress. Folklore or folk wisdom?. Ann Intern Med. 1971; 74(5):771-82. DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-74-5-771. View

14.

Munger R . Sudden death in sleep of Laotian-Hmong refugees in Thailand: a case-control study. Am J Public Health. 1987; 77(9):1187-90. PMC: 1647019. DOI: 10.2105/ajph.77.9.1187. View

15.

Marshal E . The Hmong: dying of culture shock?. Science. 1981; 212(4498):1008. DOI: 10.1126/science.7233195. View

16.

Westermeyer J . Prevention of mental disorder among Hmong refugees in the U.S.: lessons from the period 1976-1986. Soc Sci Med. 1987; 25(8):941-7. DOI: 10.1016/0277-9536(87)90265-6. View

17.

RAHE R, Romo M, Bennett L, SILTANEN P . Recent life changes, myocardial infarction, and abrupt coronary death. Studies in Helsinki. Arch Intern Med. 1974; 133(2):221-8. View

18.

Otto C, Tauxe R, Cobb L, Greene H, Gross B, Werner J . Ventricular fibrillation causes sudden death in Southeast Asian immigrants. Ann Intern Med. 1984; 101(1):45-7. DOI: 10.7326/0003-4819-101-1-45. View

19.

Greene W, Goldstein S, MOSS A . Psychosocial aspects of sudden death. A preliminary report. Arch Intern Med. 1972; 129(5):725-31. View

20.

Kirschner R, ECKNER F, Baron R . The cardiac pathology of sudden, unexplained nocturnal death in Southeast Asian refugees. JAMA. 1986; 256(19):2700-5. View