Knowledge and attitudes of medical and pharmacy university students regarding monkeypox: a multicenter, cross-sectional study in Vietnam.

BACKGROUND: In May 2022, monkeypox (mpox) suddenly reappeared and rapidly spread worldwide. This global outbreak was a public health emergency of international concern. This study investigated Vietnamese medical and pharmacy university students' knowledge and attitudes towards mpox. METHODS: This online cross-section survey was administered among students in four universities using a convenience sampling method. A semi-structured questionnaire was shared among students via a Google Forms link (quick-response code) in university amphitheaters at recess. Frequency (percentage) and mean (standard division) were used for descriptive statistics. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with students' mpox knowledge and attitudes. A p-value < 0.001 was considered statistical significance. RESULTS: A total of 1,848 students participated in this study (including 1,030 medical students and 818 pharmacy students). Their common sources for seeking mpox/health information included the Internet (89.7%) and mass media (64.2%). Students' average knowledge and attitude scores were 11.542 ± 3.910 (range: 0-23) and 30.301 ± 3.738 (range: 9-45), respectively. The average knowledge score of pharmacy students (12.139 ± 3.545) was significantly higher than that of medical students (11.067 ± 4.118) (p < 0.001). The average attitude score of the former (30.454 ± 3.787) was comparatively higher than that of the latter (30.181 ± 3.696), but this difference was insignificant (p = 0.111). Factors significantly associated with students' mpox knowledge and/or attitudes were their sex, age, year of study, residence, major, grade point average, type of university, seeking mpox information in the past, and using reliable sources to seek health information (p < 0.001). A positive correlation existed between students' knowledge and attitude scores (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Students' knowledge about mpox was relatively poor, while their attitudes were comparatively positive. Universities and relevant authorities should focus on the above factors and use multiple platforms and channels of communication to guarantee that trustworthy information about mpox can reach as many students as possible.

Prevalence and associated factors of overweight and obesity among primary school children: a cross-sectional study in Thanhhoa City, Vietnam.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and associated factors of overweight and obesity among primary school children (6-11 years old) in Thanhhoa city in 2021. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Seven primary schools in Thanhhoa city, Vietnam. PARTICIPANTS: 782 children (and their parents). PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Two-stage cluster random sampling was used for selecting children and data were collected from January to February 2021. A self-administrated questionnaire was designed for children and their parents. Children's height and weight were measured and body mass index (BMI)-for-age z-scores were computed using the WHO Anthro software V.1.0.4. Data were analysed using R software V.4.1.2. The associations between potential factors and childhood overweight/obesity were analysed through univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Variables were selected using the Bayesian Model Averaging method. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight/obesity among primary school children in Thanhhoa city was 35.93% (overweight 21.61% and obesity 14.32%). The proportion of overweight girls was nearly equal to that of boys (20.78% and 22.52%, respectively, p=0.6152) while the proportion of boys with obesity was four times as many as that of girls (23.86% and 5.62%, respectively, p<0.0001). Child's sex was the factor significantly associated with childhood overweight/obesity. Boys had double the risk of being overweight/obese than girls (adjusted OR: aOR=2.48, p<0.0001). Other potential factors which may be associated with childhood overweight/obesity included mode of transport to school, the people living with the child, mother's occupation, father's education, eating confectionery, the total time of doing sports, and sedentary activities. CONCLUSION: One in every three primary school children in Thanhhoa city were either overweight or obese. Parents, teachers and policy-makers can implement interventions in the aforementioned factors to reduce the rate of childhood obesity. In forthcoming years, longitudinal studies should be conducted to determine the causal relationships between potential factors and childhood overweight/obesity.