Speciale Alex C
Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, 1 Ton That Tung, Kim Lien, Dong Da, Ha Noi 116001, Vietnam.
Evol Med Public Health. 2021 Apr 30;9(1):194-205. doi: 10.1093/emph/eoab014. eCollection 2021.
Psychological distress is one of the greatest health threats facing humanity and has been hypothesized to represent an evolutionary mismatch. This hypothesis can be tested in semi-traditional societies that are undergoing transitions to modern lifestyles. This study used an evolutionary medicine framework to examine the predictors of psychological distress symptomology in a semi-modern ethnic minority village in rural Vietnam that is transitioning into a developing economy.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Chieng Sai Village among White Thai ethnic minority adults aged 18-75. The DASS-21 scale was used to measure the prevalence of psychological distress symptoms (depression and stress), and a closed format questionnaire was used to collect data on independent variables within an evolutionary mismatch framework. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to determine associated factors of psychological distress symptomology.
The prevalence of psychological distress symptoms was 22% (depression = 16.9%, stress = 16.3%). Common features of modernity, such as low levels of exercise, boredom, and low income, showed positive associations with psychological distress, while lifestyle features that were more similar to those expected in the evolutionary past and that fulfill evolutionary adaptations, such as getting enough sleep, adequate physical exertion, and access to resources (earning a sufficient income), showed negative associations with psychological distress.
This study suggests that modern lifestyles might have generated evolutionary mismatches that are negatively impacting mental health in Chieng Sai Village. Further investigations on mental health in rural Vietnam are warrented. Future research should focus on determining the causal relationship between psychological distress and evolutionary mismatches. Evolutionary medicine approaches to understanding and preventing psychological distress are potential forces of insight to be considered in public health and educational policy.
Approximately 22% of White Thai ethnic minority adults in the village of Cheing Sai reported psychological distress symptoms. I found that lifestyle factors prevalent in modern society had positive associations with psychological distress symptomology, while lifestyle factors that mimic aspects of the human evolutionary past, such as adequate physical exertion, had negative associations with psychological distress symptoms.
心理困扰是人类面临的最大健康威胁之一，据推测它代表了一种进化不匹配。这一假设可在正经历向现代生活方式转变的半传统社会中进行检验。本研究采用进化医学框架，对越南农村一个正迈向发展中经济的半现代少数民族村庄中心理困扰症状的预测因素进行了考察。
在清塞村对18 - 75岁的白泰族成年少数民族进行了横断面调查。使用DASS - 21量表来测量心理困扰症状（抑郁和压力）的患病率，并采用封闭式问卷在进化不匹配框架内收集自变量数据。二元逻辑回归分析用于确定心理困扰症状的相关因素。
心理困扰症状的患病率为22%（抑郁 = 16.9%，压力 = 16.3%）。现代性的常见特征，如运动量少、无聊和低收入，与心理困扰呈正相关，而与进化过去预期更相似且符合进化适应性的生活方式特征，如充足的睡眠、适度的体力活动和获得资源（赚取足够收入），与心理困扰呈负相关。
本研究表明现代生活方式可能产生了进化不匹配，对清塞村的心理健康产生了负面影响。有必要对越南农村的心理健康进行进一步调查。未来的研究应侧重于确定心理困扰与进化不匹配之间的因果关系。运用进化医学方法来理解和预防心理困扰，是公共卫生和教育政策中值得考虑的潜在洞察力量。
清塞村约22%的白泰族成年少数民族报告有心理困扰症状。我发现现代社会普遍存在的生活方式因素与心理困扰症状呈正相关，而模仿人类进化过去某些方面的生活方式因素，如适度的体力活动，与心理困扰症状呈负相关。
