The state of decentralization of the healthcare system and nutrition programs in the Lao People's Democratic Republic: an organizational study.

BACKGROUND: The Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), a lower-middle income country, has a higher malnutrition rate than other Southeast Asian countries. The decentralization of healthcare is a determinant of the effectiveness of programs to reduce malnutrition, but no study has focused on this factor in this country. This organizational study explores the state of decentralization of the healthcare system in Lao PDR that underlies the nutrition programs in the country. METHODS: A qualitative study, which is based on a neo-institutional theory conceptual framework, explored factors related to dominant structure (laws, regulations, resources) and interpretative schemes (dominant ideas and beliefs) that characterize the nutrition services provided in the Lao healthcare system. Twenty-four semistructured interviews were performed with representatives of healthcare institutions involved in nutrition programs at different government levels, external donors and civil society organizations. The interviews were completed with relevant documents. The analysis focused on the convergence of interpretative schemes of the organizations concerned and the coherence between the structure underpinning the nutrition programs and the interpretative schemes. RESULTS: Services deployed to reduce malnutrition in the Lao PDR remain largely centralized, despite factors specific to the country that led it to promote decentralization of its services. The convergence of interpretive schemes and the coherence between the observed structure and the interpretative schemes of actors at all governance levels ensure the stability of this state of decentralization, which has persisted for almost 50 years. CONCLUSION: Nutrition programs in the Laos PDR are largely under the responsibility of the central government. The transformations in the healthcare system, notably with the use of new information technologies and the fact that the provinces are populated by a growing number of professionals trained in nutrition in addition to factors that push the system to be decentralized, such as ethnic diversity, the increasing availability of human resources in provinces, and the use of communication technologies, are not strong enough to change the balance of power between governance levels. The deconcentration that characterizes decentralization is therefore likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

Decentralization and immunization program in a single-party state: the case of the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

BACKGROUND: The Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), a lower-middle-income country, lags behind other Southeast Asian countries in immunization coverage for children under two years of age. The organization of health services is a key determinant of the functionality of immunization programs. However, this aspect, and in particular its decentralization component of the healthcare system, has never been studied. METHODS: A case study in the Lao National Immunization Program was performed using a neo-institutional theory-based conceptual framework, highlighting the structure (rules, laws, resources, etc.) and interpretative schemes (dominant beliefs and ideas) that underlie the state of decentralization of the healthcare system that support the conduct of the immunization program. Twenty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted with representative actors from various government levels, external donors, and civil society, in four provinces. Data were complemented with information retrieved from relevant documents. RESULTS: The Lao healthcare system has a deconcentrated form of decentralization. It has a largely centralized structure, albeit with certain measures promoting the decentralization of its immunization programs. The structure underlying the state of centralization of immunization services provided is coherent with a shared dominant interpretive scheme. However, the rapid economic, technical, and educational changes affecting the country suggest that the coherence between structure and interpretative schemes is bound to change. CONCLUSION: Unprecedented opportunities to access quality higher education and the use of social networks are factors in Lao PDR that could affect the distribution of responsibilities of the different levels of government for public health programs such as the National Immunization Program.

Economic Rationality in Decision-Making Regarding Newborn Screening: A Case Study in Quebec.

Health systems in high-resource countries recognize the importance of making decisions about the services offered to the population based on scientific evidence. Producing this evidence is especially challenging in areas such as newborn care where the frequency of conditions is rare. However, methodological advances in the field of economic evaluation could change how this evidence is used in decision-making. This study aimed to investigate how decision-makers in the Canadian province of Quebec perceive the value of recent advances in economic evaluations for perinatal studies and how these advances might affect the offer of neonatal interventions in the public health care system. A qualitative study was conducted. A total of 10 policymakers were interviewed. A neo-institutional conceptual framework highlighting three dimensions, structure, power, and interpretive schemes, was used for data collection and analyses. Structural factors, interpretative schemes, and power management between the groups concerned concur to ensure that providing services to newborns is not hindered by the difficulty of producing evidence. They also ensure that the decisions regarding which disease to screen for take into consideration the specificity of neonatology, in particular, the social value given to children not captured by available evidence.

Longitudinal comparison of bacterial pathogen seropositivity among wet market vendors in the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

Wild animal trade for human consumption is a global issue, involving complex interactions between economics, culture, food security and conservation. Whilst being a biodiversity issue, it is also a major public health concern, with recent epidemics and pandemics of zoonotic pathogens linked to interactions with wildlife. At three time points, between March 2017 and June 2018, a longitudinal sero-survey of 150 market vendors from three wet markets in Laos (selling vegetables, domestic animal meat and/or wildlife meat) was conducted to determine if vendors had been differentially exposed to three endemic bacterial pathogens - Orientia tsutsugamushi, Rickettsia typhi, and Leptospira spp. A total of 367 serum samples were tested by IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence assay (IFA, for scrub typhus group (STG) and typhus group (TG) only). Among vendors, 32.7% were IgG-positive for at least one pathogen, 13.3% sero-converted during the study. Multi-season occupancy modelling for STG indicated a significantly higher prevalence of STG IgG in vegetable vendors (27.3%) and wildlife vendors (28.4%) than in domestic animal meat vendors (6.9 %, p=0.05), and higher in Phonsavanh market (OR=9.6, p=0.03) compared to Lak Sao and Salavan markets. Estimated mean incidence was 57 cases per 10,000 per 7.5-month period. For TG, vendor age had a significant effect on prevalence (OR=1.04, p=0.006), estimated mean incidence was 64 cases per 10,000 per season (7.5-month period). Despite individuals selling domestic meat having a higher prevalence of Leptospira infections than those that did not (11.6% versus 4.5%), the difference was not significant. Whilst this study has a number of limitations, including vendors changing what food types they sold and no investigation of exposure outside of markets, the finding that the risk of exposure of vendors to zoonotic pathogens may be associated with types of food sold for human consumption warrants further investigation.

The Concepts of Women's Empowerment in Child Malnutrition Programs in Luangprabang Province, Lao People's Democratic Republic.

In several developing countries, such as Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), the fight against malnutrition is carried out through programs that involve collaboration between internal (national) and external (international) actors. These actors may have different perceptions on what is one of the pillars of these programs: the empowerment of women, especially mothers of young children. Little is known about these differences and the impact of these differences on the empowerment component of collaborative projects and the perception of its impact on the reduction in malnutrition in the country. A multiple case study was performed. Data collection was carried out in Vientiane Capital and Luangprabang province. The data were obtained from (1) documents, (2) semi-structured interviews with representatives of internal and external organizations, and (3) focus group discussions and individual interviews with mothers of children under five years old. Analysis consisted of characterizing the empowerment component of nutrition programs of internal and external organizations, as well as mothers, based on an OXFAM's adapted conceptual framework on women's economic empowerment. The study revealed a common understanding among government and external organizations regarding the significance of promoting women's empowerment for reducing child malnutrition in Lao PDR. However, variations were observed in the interpretation of specific determinants of women's empowerment, specifically in relation to women's autonomy and the role of social capital. The perspective of internal actors includes the political ideology and traditions that make Lao PDR a distinct country. This perspective dominates the nutrition programs conducted under the collaboration of internal and external actors. In Lao PDR, the concept of women's empowerment in nutrition programs conducted through collaboration between internal and external actors and targeting young Lao mothers gives prominence to political and socio-cultural factors.

Expansion of non-invasive prenatal screening to the screening of 10 types of chromosomal anomalies: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the cost-effectiveness of the addition of chromosomal anomalies detectable by non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS), in a prenatal screening programme targeting common aneuploidies. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A simulation study was conducted to study the addition of chromosomal anomalies detectable by NIPS (sex chromosome aneuploidies, 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, large deletion/duplication >7 Mb and rare autosomal trisomies) to five basic strategies currently aiming the common trisomies: three strategies currently offered by the public healthcare systems in Canada, whose first-tier test is performed with biochemical markers, and two programmes whose first-tier test consists of NIPS-based methods. OUTCOME MEASURES: The total number of cases of chromosomal anomalies detected and the costs related to the consumption of medical services. RESULTS: The most effective and the most cost-effective option in almost all prenatal screening strategies is the option that includes all targeted additional conditions. In the strategies where NIPS is used as first-tier testing, the cost per additional case detected by adding all possible additional anomalies to a programme that currently targets only common trisomies is $C25 710 (95% CI $C25 489 to $C25 934) for massively parallel shotgun sequencing and $C57 711 (95% CI $C57 141 to $C58 292) for targeted massively parallel sequencing, respectively. The acceptability curves show that at a willingness-to-pay of $C50 000 per one additional case detected, the expansion of NIPS-based methods for the detection of all possible additional conditions has a 90% probability of being cost-effective. CONCLUSION: From an economic perspective, in strategies that use NIPS as a first-tier screening test, expanding the programmes to detect any considered chromosomal anomalies other than the three common trisomies would be cost-effective. However, the potential expansion of prenatal screening programmes also requires consideration of societal issues, including ethical ones.

Emergence of National Nutrition Policy in the Lao People's Democratic Republic: an analysis of collaborations between governmental and external actors.

BACKGROUND: In most developing countries, addressing malnutrition involves a coalition of stakeholders that includes the government and international development partners. This study explores the evolution of the malnutrition actor coalition landscape before and after the emergence of the National Nutrition Policy in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) in 2008. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted based on the theory of coalition structuring. Twenty semi-structured interviews were performed with representatives of national and international organisations involved in addressing malnutrition in Lao PDR. The information obtained from the interviews was complemented by an analysis of relevant documents dating back to 1990. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. A thematic analysis was performed using NVivo 11 software and the diagrams of collaboration drawn by the participants were turned into a visual collaboration map using SocNetV software. We relied on various types of triangulation to increase the analysis's credibility, reliability, and confirmability. RESULTS: The results showed that before the emergence of the National Nutrition Policy, three coalitions representing the health, agriculture, and education sectors coexisted. These colalitions worked largely in silos, although with some interactions when deemed necessary mainly by United Nations agencies. The emergence of the National Nutrition Policy provided the government with an effective political tool for coalescing the three coalitions into a unique coalition involving all major stakeholders in the nutrition field. All three forces that incite actors to collaborate inside a coalition according to the theory of coalition structuring (transactions, control, intangible factors) were mobilised in the creation of the single coalition. CONCLUSIONS: Combating malnutrition is a government priority in the Lao PDR. The current study showed that the National Nutrition Policy in Lao PDR has led to a significant evolution in the malnutrition coalition landscape, resulting in improved collaboration among stakeholders. This finding highlights the effectiveness of public policies in facilitating intersectoral activities to tackle complex problems, such as malnutrition.

Pregnant women's and policymakers' preferences for the expansion of noninvasive prenatal screening: A discrete choice experiment approach study.

Background and Aims: Quantitative approaches for eliciting preferences for new interventions are mostly conducted by patients and rarely by policymakers. This study aimed to quantify the preferences of pregnant women and policymakers regarding the addition of a new test to prenatal screening programs for detecting chromosomal abnormalities. Methods: A discrete choice experiment was conducted to measure the respondents' preferences for a new prenatal test. A seven-attribute instrument was built based on interviews with pregnant women and policymakers. The data were analyzed using robust conditional logistic regression and nested logit models. Results: In total, 272 pregnant women and 24 policymakers completed the questionnaire (response rates of 48% and 55%, respectively). Overall, all attributes were statistically significant in the pregnant women group, whereas only three attributes (test performance, degree of test result certainty, and cost) were statistically significant in the policymakers group. Statistically significant differences in test performance and information were observed between the two groups. Conclusion: Policymakers differed from pregnant women in their appraisal of attributes related to their preference for a new prenatal screening intervention. The low response rates observed in both groups suggest that further investigation of the relevance of this approach must be conducted.

Development of a discrete choice experiment questionnaire to elicit preferences by pregnant women and policymakers for the expansion of non-invasive prenatal screening.

OBJECTIVE: An instrument for measuring intervention preferences applicable to both patients and policymakers would make it possible to better confront the needs of the supply and demand sides of the health care system. This study aimed to develop a discrete choice experiments (DCE) questionnaire to elicit the preferences of patients and policymakers. The instrument was specifically developed to estimate preferences for new conditions to be added to a screening program for fetal chromosomal anomalies. METHODS: A DCE development study was conducted. The methods employed included a literature review, a qualitative study (based on individual semi-structured interviews, consultations, and a focus group discussion) with pregnant women and policymakers, and a pilot project with 33 pregnant women to validate the first version of the instrument and test the feasibility of its administration. RESULTS: An initial list of 10 attributes was built based on a literature review and the qualitative research components of the study. Five attributes were built based on the responses provided by the participants from both groups. Eight attributes were consensually retained. A pilot project performed on 33 pregnant women led to a final instrument containing seven attributes: 'conditions to be screened', 'test performance', 'moment at gestational age to obtain the test result', 'degree of test result certainty to the severity of the disability', 'test sufficiency', 'information provided from test result', and 'cost related to the test'. CONCLUSION: It is possible to reach a consensus on the construction of a DCE instrument intended to be administered to pregnant women and policymakers. However, complete validation of the consensual instrument is limited because there are too few voting members of health technology assessment agencies committees to statistically ascertain the relevance of the attributes and their levels.

Expected Benefits and Challenges of Using Economic Evaluations to Make Decisions About the Content of Newborn Screening Programs in Vietnam: A Scoping Review of the Literature

Abstract Screening newborns for genetic and other diseases is one of the most effective ways to improve health and reduce disease in a population. In developed countries, newborn screening has been a cornerstone of public health for decades. In many developing countries, however, newborn screening is still in its infancy. Many countries still lack screening programs. When a program is available, it generally lacks well-defined criteria on which decision-makers can justify the choice of diseases screened for and the methods used. One of the reasons put forward to understand this observation is the fact that little consideration is given by decision-makers to economic evaluations as a pillar of decision-making, as is the case in industrialized countries. This article provides a brief description of the challenges of using economic evaluation of newborn screening in developing countries. This will be illustrated by the example of the national newborn screening program in Vietnam.

Non-invasive prenatal testing for the prenatal screening of sex chromosome aneuploidies: A systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy studies.

BACKGROUND: There is little evidence on the performance of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for the detection of fetal sex chromosomal imbalances. In this review, we aimed to appraise and synthesize the literature on the performance of NIPT for the prenatal detection of fetal sex chromosome aneuploidies. METHODS: We performed our literature search in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and CADTH. Study selection and data extraction were performed by two reviewers independently. There were no restrictions on the study population. Meta-analyses were performed with "R" software. Pooled sensitivities and specificities with their 95% CI were estimated using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity between studies was assessed by a Q test. RESULTS: Based on 11 studies in high prior risk pregnancies, including 116 affected fetuses in aggregate, Massively Parallel Shotgun Sequencing (MPSS) had a sensitivity of 93.9% (95% CI 84.1%, 97.8%) and a specificity of 99.6% (95% CI 98.7%, 99.9%) for the detection of 45,X. Based on four studies in high-risk pregnancies, with 83 affected fetuses in aggregate, Targeted Massively Parallel Sequencing (TMPS) had a sensitivity of 83.2% (95% CI 49.6%, 96.2%) and specificity was 99.8% (95% CI 98.3%, 100%) for the detection of 45,X. In mixed-risk pregnancies, the sensitivity of TMPS for the detection of 45,X was 90.9% (2 studies; 95% CI 70%, 97.7%) and specificity 99.9% (2 studies; 95% CI 99.4%, 100%); MPSS data were not available in such pregnancies. Based on smaller numbers of studies, and small numbers of affected fetuses in either high-risk or mixed-risk pregnancies (using either MPSS or TMPS), the sensitivities and specificities were equal to or greater than 76.2% for 47,XXX, 47,XXY and 47, XYY. The test failures for SCAs were 0.2% (95% CI 0%, 13.6%) for MPSS and 5.6% (95% CI 3.7%, 8.4%) for TMPS. CONCLUSION: High-quality studies are still desirable in order to estimate the performance of NIPT for the detection of sex chromosome imbalances.

Timeliness of immunisation with the pentavalent vaccine at different levels of the health care system in the Lao People's Democratic Republic: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The timely administration of vaccines is considered to be important for both individual and herd immunity. In this study, we investigated the timeliness of the diphtheria-tetanus-whole cell pertussis-hepatitis B-Haemophilus influenzae type b (pentavalent) vaccine, scheduled at 6, 10 and 14 weeks of age in the Lao People's Democratic Republic. We also investigated factors associated with delayed immunization. METHODS: 1162 children aged 8-28 months who had received the full course of the pentavalent vaccine at different levels of the health care system were enrolled. Vaccination dates documented in hospital records and/or immunisation cards were recorded. Age at vaccination and time intervals between doses were calculated. Predictors for timely completion with the pentavalent vaccine at 24 weeks were assessed by bivariate and multivariable analyses. RESULTS: Several discrepancies in dates between vaccination documents were observed. In general, vaccination with the pentavalent vaccine was found to be delayed, especially in health care settings below the provincial hospital level. Compared to the central hospital level, less participants who were vaccinated at the district/health center level received the third dose by 16 (48% at the central hospital level vs. 7.1% at the district and 12.4% at the health center level) and 24 weeks of age (94.4% at the central hospital level vs 64.6% at the district-outreach and 57.4% at the health center level) respectively. In logistic regression analyses, lower education level of the mother as well as vaccination by outreach service, were independently associated with delayed completion of vaccination. CONCLUSION: We observed a general delay of vaccination, especially at lower ranked facilities, which correlated with indicators of poor access to health services. This highlights the need for further improving health equity in rural areas. Age-appropriate vaccination should become a quality indicator for the national immunization programme. In addition, we recommend further training of the health care staff regarding the importance of reliable documentation of dates.

A Web Application About Herd Immunity Using Personalized Avatars: Development Study.

BACKGROUND: Herd immunity or community immunity refers to the reduced risk of infection among susceptible individuals in a population through the presence and proximity of immune individuals. Recent studies suggest that improving the understanding of community immunity may increase intentions to get vaccinated. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to design a web application about community immunity and optimize it based on users' cognitive and emotional responses. METHODS: Our multidisciplinary team developed a web application about community immunity to communicate epidemiological evidence in a personalized way. In our application, people build their own community by creating an avatar representing themselves and 8 other avatars representing people around them, for example, their family or coworkers. The application integrates these avatars in a 2-min visualization showing how different parameters (eg, vaccine coverage, and contact within communities) influence community immunity. We predefined communication goals, created prototype visualizations, and tested four iterative versions of our visualization in a university-based human-computer interaction laboratory and community-based settings (a cafeteria, two shopping malls, and a public library). Data included psychophysiological measures (eye tracking, galvanic skin response, facial emotion recognition, and electroencephalogram) to assess participants' cognitive and affective responses to the visualization and verbal feedback to assess their interpretations of the visualization's content and messaging. RESULTS: Among 110 participants across all four cycles, 68 (61.8%) were women and 38 (34.5%) were men (4/110, 3.6%; not reported), with a mean age of 38 (SD 17) years. More than half (65/110, 59.0%) of participants reported having a university-level education. Iterative changes across the cycles included adding the ability for users to create their own avatars, specific signals about who was represented by the different avatars, using color and movement to indicate protection or lack of protection from infectious disease, and changes to terminology to ensure clarity for people with varying educational backgrounds. Overall, we observed 3 generalizable findings. First, visualization does indeed appear to be a promising medium for conveying what community immunity is and how it works. Second, by involving multiple users in an iterative design process, it is possible to create a short and simple visualization that clearly conveys a complex topic. Finally, evaluating users' emotional responses during the design process, in addition to their cognitive responses, offers insights that help inform the final design of an intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Visualization with personalized avatars may help people understand their individual roles in population health. Our app showed promise as a method of communicating the relationship between individual behavior and community health. The next steps will include assessing the effects of the application on risk perception, knowledge, and vaccination intentions in a randomized controlled trial. This study offers a potential road map for designing health communication materials for complex topics such as community immunity.

Perception of health risks in Lao market vendors.

Wet markets are a critical part of South-East Asian culture and economy. However, their role in circulation and transmission of both endemic and emerging disease is a source of concern in a region considered a hotspot of disease emergence. In the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR, Laos), live and dead wild animals are frequently found in wet markets, despite legislation against the bushmeat trade. This is generally considered to increase the risk of disease transmission and emergence, although whether or not wildlife vendors themselves have indeed increased incidence of zoonotic disease has rarely been assessed. In preparation for a future longitudinal study of market vendors investigating vendors' exposure to zoonotic pathogens, we conducted a pilot survey of Lao market vendors of wildlife meat, livestock meat and vegetables, to identify demographic characteristics and potential control groups within markets. We also investigated baseline risk perception for infectious diseases among market vendors and assessed the association between risk perception and risk mitigation behaviours. The surveys conducted with 177 vendors revealed similar age, sex, ethnic background and geographical origin between vendor types, but differences in professional background and work history for livestock meat vendors. The perception of disease risk was very low across all vendors, as was the reported use of personal protective equipment, and the two appeared unrelated. Personal risk discounting and assumptions about transmission routes may explain this lack of association. This information will help inform the development of future research, risk communication and risk mitigation policy, especially in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hepatitis A Virus in Lao People's Democratic Republic: Seroprevalence and Risk Factors.

Despite several recent reports of outbreaks of hepatitis A, little is known about the disease burden in Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR). We conducted a cross-sectional age-stratified seroprevalence study of anti-hepatitis A virus (HAV) IgG and risk factors in a rural province (Xiengkhouang) and Vientiane capital in Lao PDR. Overall, 62% of participants were anti-HAV positive in Xiengkhouang Province compared with 45.5% in Vientiane capital. In Xiengkhouang, 23.7% of 5- to 10-year-olds were already seropositive compared with 5% in Vientiane. A dramatic increase in seroprevalence occurred between 15- to 20-year and 21- to 30-year age-groups (35.7-62.4%, Xiengkhouang, and 11.5-69.7%, Vientiane) until essentially all older adults were positive in both locations. The main risk factors for HAV antibodies were age, non-Lao-Tai ethnicity, and food-related risk factors. In conclusion, Lao children seem to be exposed very early to HAV, particularly in rural settings, and exposure continues throughout their lives, mostly without being reported. In the older birth cohorts, the high seroprevalence may largely reflect poor sanitation and exposure during childhood. In Vientiane capital, the lower seroprevalence at young ages may reflect better water sanitation since the late 1990s. A comparison with neighboring Thailand indicates that the impact of improved sanitation in Lao PDR began only two decades later. Further improvements in water sanitation, in particular in the rural districts, and better food hygiene are warranted. Our study also suggests that HAV infections are underreported. Improved reporting would provide guidance for targeted interventions to further reduce HAV infections.

Seroprevalence of anti-tetanus antibodies in mothers and cord blood and associated factors in health-care settings in Lao People's Democratic Republic.

BACKGROUND: Maternal neonatal tetanus (MNT) was eliminated from Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR) in 2014. WHO recommends 80% coverage of 2 or more tetanus vaccinations (TT2+) in pregnancy to maintain MNT control. Vaccination coverage in Lao PDR varies among regions although the reasons are not clear. METHODS: 185 pregnant women giving birth in three district hospitals in Savannakhet province, Lao PDR were recruited. A questionnaire was administered to determine factors associated with seroprotection and blood was taken from mother and cord blood to be tested for anti-tetanus antibodies by ELISA. RESULTS: 77% of mothers and 79% of newborns had sufficiently protective antibody titres (>0.5 IU/ml) against tetanus. Only 70% of the mothers received one dose of TT vaccination during antenatal care (ANC) consultation and 45% received the recommended two injections. Although most of the vaccination took place during ANC 1 and 2, many were missed at these time-points. Anti-tetanus seroprotection in the mothers was associated with maternal age, number of ANC visits, number of TT vaccinations during and before pregnancy and gestational age. CONCLUSION: Seroprevalence of anti-tetanus antibodies in mothers and newborns was intermediate but TT2+ coverage was low in healthcare settings in Lao PDR. TT2+ coverage during ANC is likely to be significantly lower in settings with less robust ANC practices. Missed opportunities to vaccinate in ANC 1 and 2 suggest a need to promote vaccine awareness and vaccination at first ANC visit. A booster dose of TT containing vaccine should be considered for children aged between 4 and 7 years old.

Prévention des troubles musculo-squelettiques chez les infirmiers d'un hôpital de province au Vietnam.

OBJECTIVE: To study the situation of MSDs among nursing staff and the barriers to implementing an MSD preventive intervention in Vietnamese hospitals. METHODS: A mixed design has been devised. The quantitative component aimed to study the prevalence of MSDs, the associations between MSDs and potential risk factors and consequences of MSDs; the qualitative component focused on the study of facilitators/barriers to the implementation of a MSDs prevention program in Vietnamese hospitals. RESULTS: The prevalence of lower back, neck and shoulders MSDs, over the past 12 months, was the highest in the neck (59%) and then in lower back (49%), shoulders (40%). Factors associated with these disorders are mainly the presence of stress, being a woman and work intensity. MSD-related pain has an impact on the ability to work and the quality of life. The lack of knowledge on MSDs by health care administrators inside and outside the hospitals and the lack of human resources with expertise in MSD management are important barriers to the implementation of an MSD prevention program in Vietnamese hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: MSDs represent a serious occupational health problem in hospitals. Reducing the prevalence of MSDs requires not only an increased awareness about this serious problem among administrators, but also the development of expertise in MSD management.

Toward a quantification of risks at the nexus of conservation and health: The case of bushmeat markets in Lao PDR.

Trade of bushmeat and other wildlife for human consumption presents a unique set of challenges to policy-makers who are confronted with multiple trade-offs between conservation, food security, food safety, culture and tradition. In the face of these complex issues, risk assessments supported by quantitative information would facilitate evidence-based decision making. We propose a conceptual model for disease transmission risk analysis, inclusive of these multiple other facets. To quantify several processes included in this conceptual model we conducted questionnaire surveys with wildlife consumers and vendors in semi-urban centers in Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR, Laos) and direct observations of consumer behaviors. Direct observation of market stalls indicated an estimated average of 10 kg bushmeat biomass per stall per hour. The socio-demographic data suggested that consumption of bushmeat in urban areas was not for subsistence but rather driven by dietary preference and tradition. Consumer behavioral observations indicated that each animal receives an average of 7 contacts per hour. We provide other key parameters to estimate the risk of disease transmission from bushmeat consumption and illustrate their use in assessing the total public health and socio-economic impact of bushmeat consumption. Pursuing integrative approaches to the study of bushmeat consumption is essential to develop effective and balanced policies that support conservation, public health, and rural development goals.

Seroprotection at Different Levels of the Healthcare System After Routine Vaccination With Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis whole cell-Hepatitis B-Haemophilus influenzae Type B in Lao People's Democratic Republic.

BACKGROUND: The Lao People's Democratic Republic continues to sustain a considerable burden of vaccine-preventable diseases because of incomplete vaccine coverage and weak vaccine responses. We have assessed seroconversion after routine vaccination with the pentavalent vaccine to capture weaknesses of vaccine management at the different levels of the healthcare system. METHODS: A total of 1151 children (aged 8-28 months) with 3 documented doses of the pentavalent vaccine delivered at central hospitals in Vientiane and the provincial hospital, 3 district hospitals, and 10 health centers in Bolikhamxay province were enrolled. Sociodemographic information was collected with a standardized questionnaire. Serum samples were analyzed for antibodies against vaccine components, and bivariate and multivariable analyses were performed to identify risk factors for low vaccine responses. RESULTS: Seroprotection rates at the provincial, district, and health center level were as high as in central hospitals, but seroprotection rates in areas covered by remote health centers were significantly lower. Protective levels also rapidly decreased with age at sampling. Seroprotection rates in Bolikhamxay against the different components reached 70%-77% and were up to 20% higher than in previous studies in the same region; 18.8% more children received the hepatitis B vaccine birth dose and the hepatitis B virus infection rate was 4 times lower. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccine immunogenicity has dramatically improved in a central province, likely due to training and investment in the cold chain. Nevertheless, there remains a need to focus on the "last mile" in remote areas were most children are vaccinated through outreach activities.

[Prevention of musculoskeletal disorders among nurses of a provincial hospital in Vietnam: Issue and health policy context]. / Prévention des troubles musculo-squelettiques chez les infirmiers d'un hôpital de province au Vietnam.

OBJECTIVE: To study the situation of MSDs among nursing staff and the barriers to implementing an MSD preventive intervention in Vietnamese hospitals. METHODS: A mixed design has been devised. The quantitative component aimed to study the prevalence of MSDs, the associations between MSDs and potential risk factors and consequences of MSDs; the qualitative component focused on the study of facilitators/barriers to the implementation of a MSDs prevention program in Vietnamese hospitals. RESULTS: The prevalence of lower back, neck and shoulders MSDs, over the past 12 months, was the highest in the neck (59%) and then in lower back (49%), shoulders (40%). Factors associated with these disorders are mainly the presence of stress, being a woman and work intensity. MSD-related pain has an impact on the ability to work and the quality of life. The lack of knowledge on MSDs by health care administrators inside and outside the hospitals and the lack of human resources with expertise in MSD management are important barriers to the implementation of an MSD prevention program in Vietnamese hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: MSDs represent a serious occupational health problem in hospitals. Reducing the prevalence of MSDs requires not only an increased awareness about this serious problem among administrators, but also the development of expertise in MSD management.