Perceptions and Use of Electronic Cigarettes Among Young Adults in Vietnam 2020.

Electronic cigarette use among adolescents has increased in the past decade. Little is known about the perception and use of e-cigarettes in Vietnam, especially among young people. This study examines the perceptions and use of electronic cigarettes among young adults in Vietnam. The study uses data from a survey of adult tobacco consumption among adults at the provincial level in 2020, which was funded and managed by the Vietnam Tobacco Control Fund-Ministry of Health. Data were collected from 34 provinces and cities throughout Vietnam and managed using REDCap software. The survey engaged 80,166 participants, of which 9478 were young adults aged 15-24 were selected and reported in this paper. The results show that, at the time of the survey, 2.4% of young Vietnamese adults were smoking e-cigarettes. Many survey participants cited more than one reason for smoking e-cigarettes. These reasons included preferring the taste of e-cigarettes (64.0%), disliking the odour of other cigarettes (46.2%), following the example of family members (44.9%), and believing e-cigarettes threatened fewer health risks (39.1%). Almost half of the e-cigarette users wanted to quit (48%). E-cigarette use was associated with males living in urban areas who are aware of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms. The findings of this study provide evidential data that support public health policies aimed at reducing and ceasing e-cigarette use among young people.

Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated With Postpartum Depressive Symptoms Among Women in Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR.

Postpartum depression (PPD), the onset of depressive episodes after childbirth, is the most common psychological condition following childbirth, and a global public health concern. If undiagnosed and/or untreated, postpartum depression can have negative effects on maternal and child health, however, there are few studies on the prevalence of postpartum depression in low- and middle-income countries. To contribute to filling this gap, this study examined the prevalence and risk factors associated with postpartum depressive symptoms among women after delivery in Vientiane Capital, Lao PDR. The study was a cross-sectional design, with multistage sampling used to identify women between 4 and 24 weeks after giving birth (N = 521). The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used to identify women with postpartum depressive symptoms. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions identified risk factors associated with postpartum depressive symptoms. The prevalence of postpartum depressive symptoms among participants was 21.3%. Associated factors were having at least 2-3 living children (AOR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.1-3.0), experiencing mental health problems during pregnancy (AOR: 3.3, 95% CI: 1.4-7.6), experiencing conflicts with family members (AOR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.5-4.0), the experience of intimate partner violence (AOR: 2.6, 95% CI: 1.3-5.5), and receiving moderate social support (AOR: 5.6, 95% CI: 3.2-10.0). In contexts where access to mental health specialists has severely constrained maternal and child healthcare providers at primary health care must be supported to develop the necessary skills to identify risk factors and symptoms and offer basic essential services for postpartum depressive symptom (PDS). The study identified a high proportion of mothers with postnatal depressive symptoms, highlighting the need to screen and treat mothers who present with PDS, as not doing so exposes mother and their children to a range of negative health and social outcomes. Addressing the stigma associated with mental health illness and mental health illness and domestic violence that prevents women from seeking healthcare, must also be developed, implemented, and evaluated.

Outpatient satisfaction with primary health care services in Vietnam: Multilevel analysis results from The Vietnam Health Facilities Assessment 2015.

Patient satisfaction has implications for resource distribution across primary, secondary, and tertiary care, as well as accessibility of quality services and equity of service delivery. This study assessed outpatient satisfaction with health services and explored the determinants at the individual and contextual levels in Vietnam. Data on 4372 outpatients were extracted from the Vietnam Health Facility Assessment survey 2015. Three levels of logistic regression were applied to examine the association between outpatient satisfaction and three types of explanatory variables. Outpatients satisfied with their community health center or district hospital accounted for relatively high proportions (85% and 73%, respectively). Patients' age, occupation, and individual characteristics were significant predictors of patient satisfaction, whereas provincial level factors were not significantly associated with the dependent variable. When individual-level characteristics were controlled, outpatients who had a longer waiting time for health services were less likely to report being satisfied. Interventions for improving outpatient satisfaction should pay attention to simplifying the health procedure at health facilities to reduce patients' waiting time and increase their examining time.

Impact of Central Quarantine Inside a Lockdown Hospital Due to COVID-19 Pandemic on Psychological Disorders among Health Care Staffs in Central Hospitals of Hanoi, Vietnam, 2020.

This study aims to examine the impact of undergoing a central quarantine due to the lockdown of Bach Mai hospital on the psychological disorders and identify associated factors with depression among hospital employees in central hospitals of Hanoi, Vietnam. Employing a cross-sectional design, the study collected data from staff working in the lockdown hospital and other central hospitals during 1 week after the lockdown happened. The sample size included 373 staff from 3 hospitals, the study time was. Depression was tested using PH-Q9 scale. Multivariate logistics regression was employed to test for the impact of central quarantine on depression and identify other significant related factors. The study confirmed a high burden of psychological issues that hospital employees were facing. Staff working in the lockdown hospital had 2.3 times higher odds of being perceived depression than others. Those who contact directly about 21 to 20 patients/day had 3.19-times higher odds of being perceived depression than others. Staff who being stigmatization associated with COVID-19 had 2.63 times higher odds of perceived depression than others. Reducing these associated factors to depression may help to reduce the psychological burden HEs have to cope with during the pandemic.

Quality of life in methadone maintenance treated patients in Long An, a southern province of Vietnam.

This cross-sectional study was conducted to identify the quality of life (QoL) and its related factors in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) patients at four health facilities in Long An province, Vietnam in 2019. We interviewed 373 MMT patients using the WHOQOL-BREF measurement questionnaire and used their health records to collect some other data. The findings showed that the patients had a mean QoL score of 66.1 points. Factors associated with a higher QoL score included having employment, receiving support from relatives, and having health insurance. Therefore, it is recommended that patients should be assisted to participate in health insurance and supported by their relatives.

Reported handwashing practices of Vietnamese people during the COVID-19 pandemic and associated factors: a 2020 online survey.

COVID-19 pandemic currently affects nearly all countries and regions in the world. Washing hands, together with other preventive measures, to be considered one of the most important measures to prevent the disease. This study aimed to characterize reported handwashing practices of Vietnamese people during the COVID-19 pandemic and associated factors. Kobo Toolbox platform was used to design the online survey. There were 837 people participating in this survey. All independent variables were described by calculating frequencies and percentages. Univariate linear regression was used with a significant level of 0.05. Multiple linear regression was conducted to provide a theoretical model with collected predictors. Seventy-nine percent of the respondents used soap as the primary choice when washing their hands. Sixty percent of the participants washed their hands at all essential times, however, only 26.3% practiced washing their hands correctly, and only 28.4% washed their hands for at least 20 seconds. Although 92.1% washed hands after contacting with surfaces at public places (e.g., lifts, knob doors), only 66.3% practiced handwashing after removing masks. Females had better reported handwashing practices than male participants (OR = 1.88; 95% CI: 1.15-3.09). Better knowledge of handwashing contributed to improving reported handwashing practice (OR = 1.30; 95% CI: 1.20-1.41). Poorer handwashing practices were likely due, at least in part, to the COVID-19 pandemic information on the internet, social media, newspapers, and television. Although the number of people reported practicing their handwashing was rather high, only a quarter of them had corrected reported handwashing practices. Communication strategy on handwashing should emphasize on the minimum time required for handwashing as well as the six handwashing steps.

Blood Glucose Disorders and Access to Health Care Services Among Adults Aged 30 to 69 Years in Chi Linh, Hai Duong, Vietnam.

Planning for control of diabetes in Vietnam needs valid information about the burden of diseases in general population. This study employed a cross-sectional design among population aged 30 to 69 years to measure the burden of type 2 diabetes and gaps in access to health care to explore the negative effects of rapid economic growth and urbanization in Chi Linh in recent years. A total of 594 adults were interviewed and had their fasting blood glucose tested. Results indicated that the prevalence of impaired fasting glycaemia was 11.8% and of diabetes was 12.1%. Only 16.8% diabetes cases detected in this study were diagnosed before, indicating a high level of unmet needs for detecting/managing diabetes in Chi Linh population. Significant associated factors with abnormal blood glucose included age and body mass index level. Without effective intervention programs for diabetes control and management, its burden will continue raising in the coming years. Chi Linh need to strengthen the diagnostic/treatment services at primary health care levels to ensure that people at early stage of raised blood pressure, raised blood glucose can be detected and provided with proper management to avoid serious complications, and to reduce hospital overload at central level.

Tobacco Access and Availability for Vietnamese School Children (aged 13-15): Results from the Global Youth Tobacco Use Survey (GYTS) 2014 in Viet Nam.

Efforts to reduce tobacco use among school children need to be based on understanding of access to cigarettes by these subjects because previous studies indicated that enforcement of laws for controlling tobacco sales seems to not affect teen/school children because they can obtain cigarettes from different sources. This paper aims to describe access to and availability of cigarettes among school students (aged 13-15 years old) according to the data from GYTS Vietnam 2014. In GYTS, a national school-based survey of students of grades 8-10, our findings showed that about 15% school children are current smokers who smoke at home, and that they could easily buy cigarettes from stores (63.2%), or someone else (27.8%), or street vendors (9%). Notably, over 85% of school children answered that they were not refused because of their age. This high percentage was nearly the same in the North (85.7%), the Centre (92.5%), and the South (89.7%) of Viet Nam. These findings show that it is quite easy for school children to obtain cigarettes and this is a crucial challenge for policy makers aiming to reduce tobacco use among youth in general and school-age students in particular.

Adverse events in the treatment of MDR-TB patients within and outside the NTP in Pham Ngoc Thach hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

BACKGROUND: Treatment outcomes of a high proportion of inpatients with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) were not reported to the Vietnamese National Tuberculosis Program because they received treatment outside of the green light committee (GLC) program. The study aimed (1) to describe the strengths and weaknesses of treatment of GLC and non-GLC MDR-TB patients as well as the factors influencing treatment completion and (2) to determine the incidence of adverse drug reactions. RESULTS: This cross-sectional study comprised two elements: (1) in-depth interviews with clinical doctors, hospital pharmacists; and focus group discussions with MDR-TB patients; and (2) a review of the charts of all GLC and non-GLC MDR-TB patients in 2010. A total of 282 MDR-TB patients were recruited, including 79(28%) MDR-TB patients treated through the GLC program and 203(72%) MDR-TB patients treated outside of the GLC program. The main strengths of GLC treatment were the supply of quality assured second line TB drugs, routine monitoring and clinical evaluation, free diagnostic tests and close clinical monitoring. The greatest barriers to patients treated outside of the GLC program was difficulty paying for second line TB drugs and other treatment costs. There was no significant difference between the incidence of adverse events among GLC (46.8%) and non-GLC treated patients (52.2%; p = 0.417). Among 143 patients who reported 226 adverse reaction events, arthralgia/joint pain (35.8%), gastrointestinal (14.2%), ototoxicity (8.4%), cutaneous (6.6%), and giddiness (5.8%) were the most common. CONCLUSIONS: The non-GLC MDR-TB patients face substantial barriers to treatment, and require greater support if they are to complete treatment and improve disease outcomes. Staff training about the management of adverse drug reactions is needed.